The First Switchboard

views updated

THE FIRST SWITCHBOARD

The first telephone switchboard was installed in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1878. Operated manually by teenage boys at first, the switchboards connected many telephones through one or two exchanges in large cities. Within a few years, women replaced the boys as operators, as they were considered to be more polite to the callers.

About this article

The First Switchboard

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article