That’s before my time. In the 1970’s you got dial tone then dialed your number. And calling your own number got a busy signal to others calling in. I recall getting a really sore finger from trying to be a certain number caller to a radio station, calling over and over.
I remember those days too. Two longs and two shorts was our ring. We also had a crank on the phone we could use to call other people on our party line or we gave it one long continuous grind to get the operator’s attention…………Jeez, when I think about stuff like that it makes me think I’ve lived an awful long time……
And we had dial phones with five digit numbers (although the first was called a letter). Party lines still existed in rural areas at that technology level, but you could dial one directly.
I remember when you had to “rent” the basic black dial phone from the regional Ma Bell. Later, they added the color option for $1 a month more and still later, the “Touch Tone” push button option for yet another $1. You alsoo had to pay extra for each additional phone in the house, which of course had to also be “rented” from the regional Ma Bell.
hsawlrae about 13 years ago
“Oh, good morning, Earl. I’m afraid that line is still busy.”
psychlady about 13 years ago
Those were the days! I say this often when I read Pluggers!
Jonni about 13 years ago
of course, but only after you convince the the other folk on the party line to get off because it’s an emergency call to talk to Dad
Tricorvus about 13 years ago
That’s before my time. In the 1970’s you got dial tone then dialed your number. And calling your own number got a busy signal to others calling in. I recall getting a really sore finger from trying to be a certain number caller to a radio station, calling over and over.
Yukoneric about 13 years ago
13 on 4 is the first phone number I remember. Thirteenth party on the fourth trunk. Two longs and a short was our “ring”!
rw1h about 13 years ago
@Yukoneric
I remember those days too. Two longs and two shorts was our ring. We also had a crank on the phone we could use to call other people on our party line or we gave it one long continuous grind to get the operator’s attention…………Jeez, when I think about stuff like that it makes me think I’ve lived an awful long time……
momazilla about 13 years ago
And how about when it really was a dial, not just a bunch of buttons to push.
hippogriff about 13 years ago
“Number please” went extinct while the “candlestick” phones were still in use.
hippogriff about 13 years ago
And we had dial phones with five digit numbers (although the first was called a letter). Party lines still existed in rural areas at that technology level, but you could dial one directly.
LuvThemPluggers about 13 years ago
…and everytime it rained, the phones all went dead for the rest of the day.
Tin Can Twidget about 13 years ago
Do you know the best thing about “the good ol’ days?” - We were younger then. :)
-HARLAN about 13 years ago
I remember when you had to “rent” the basic black dial phone from the regional Ma Bell. Later, they added the color option for $1 a month more and still later, the “Touch Tone” push button option for yet another $1. You alsoo had to pay extra for each additional phone in the house, which of course had to also be “rented” from the regional Ma Bell.