4 ms·

It reads like they went ahead with a compromise where they got phones that worked in both "manual" and "dial" mode. When were those replaced with dial-only?

• ben509 7y ago
  Wikipedia has an interesting history of manual switchboards[1]; they broadly died out in about the '60s with some still used in rural areas into the '90s. And while the switchboards were automated, I don't think even today our phone systems are "dial only." Certainly through the '90s I recall dialing an operator for international and reverse charge calls and I think operators still serve customers with disabilities. That's not even counting all the customer support positions that are mostly redirecting calls. The funny thing is you'd think the web would have ended it, but more sites are adding chat boxes, or they want your phone number to set up an account... [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switchboard_operator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switchboard_operator
  • bdamm 7y ago
    Yeah but sites wanting a phone # is more to do with its utility as an identifier than anything. And for the sales guys to talk with you.
  • jonny_eh 7y ago
    Oh I see, I guess they just told the senators that they could dial 0 to speak to an operator, problem solved!
• flomo 7y ago
  Someone with a landline should dial "0" for the operator and see if it still works. (Assuming it does, they will charge you.)