Speeding Speech - (1950s)

THIS FILM IS PUBLIC DOMAIN Automation in the telephone industry dispenses with operator long distance dialing to complete calls faster. This film explains how long distance calls were handled when the first toll dial switching systems were introduced, and contrasts it with earlier methods where the connections were made totally by operators. Part of the explanation about how the new technology worked includes a demonstration with sound of the then new "multi-frequency" or MF tone senders. Different and more pleasant sounding than the "touch-tones" used by our phones today, MF tones were used internally by the switching network. Though they're now nearly extinct, MF tones were considered by phone phreaks to be among the most beautiful sounds heard on the old network. The film also has some great shots of toll operators processing calls and of the original Western Electric #4 Crossbar switches being built and installed. The climax of the film comes after the old, manual method of calling long distance is compared with the new operator toll dialing when the narrator proclaims: "As soon as the operator presses the proper keys, it happens! Just like that!". CCITT FREQUENCIES -------------------------------------- FUNC.- FREQUENCY Hz - SHORT INFO -------------------------------------- 1 - 700 & 900 - TO DIAL "1" 2 - 700 & 1100 - TO DIAL "2" 3 - 900 & 1100 - TO DIAL "3" 4 - 700 & 1300 - TO DIAL "4" 5 - 900 & 1300 - TO DIAL "5" 6 - 1100 & 1300 - TO DIAL "6" 7 - 700 & 1500 - TO DIAL "7" 8 - 900 & 1500 - TO DIAL "8" 9 - 1100 & 1500 - TO DIAL "9" 0 - 1300 & 1500 - TO DIAL "0" -------------------------------------- C.11 - 700 & 1700 - INWARD OPERATOR C.12 - 900 & 1700 - DELAY OPERATOR KP1 - 1100 & 1700 - TERMINAL CALL KP2 - 1300 & 1700 - TRANSIT CALL ST - 1500 & 1700 - END OF PULSING