http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/2008/03/27/model-500-rarity-the-mushroom-phone/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:56:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/2008/03/27/model-500-rarity-the-mushroom-phone/#comment-561 Jim A. Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:30:13 +0000 http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/?p=14#comment-561 I'd bet that the phone company insisted on replacing the bulb themselves whenever it burned out. That's alot of service calls. Does anyone have any idea how much extra they charged for these phones every month? I'm guessing that a lease rate that covered their costs for servicing the phone seemed prohibitive to customers, leading to little demand. Probably ony used for phones in rooms that had to be kept dark. Movie theatres etc. I’d bet that the phone company insisted on replacing the bulb themselves whenever it burned out. That’s alot of service calls. Does anyone have any idea how much extra they charged for these phones every month? I’m guessing that a lease rate that covered their costs for servicing the phone seemed prohibitive to customers, leading to little demand. Probably ony used for phones in rooms that had to be kept dark. Movie theatres etc.

]]> http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/2008/03/27/model-500-rarity-the-mushroom-phone/#comment-64 Dennis Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:45:00 +0000 http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/?p=14#comment-64 You are correct Jim. The power for the lamp came from the subscriber's electrical wall outlet via a transformer. The electricity supplied by the telephone company was only enough to ring the ringer. You are correct Jim. The power for the lamp came from the subscriber’s electrical wall outlet via a transformer. The electricity supplied by the telephone company was only enough to ring the ringer.

]]> http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/2008/03/27/model-500-rarity-the-mushroom-phone/#comment-55 Jim Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:39:20 +0000 http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/?p=14#comment-55 I understood the power for the light was supplied through a transformer that was plugged into an outlet at the subscriber's location, therefore the customer would pay the cost of electricity used for the little light bulb. Am I right? I understood the power for the light was supplied through a transformer that was plugged into an outlet at the subscriber’s location, therefore the customer would pay the cost of electricity used for the little light bulb. Am I right?

]]> http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/2008/03/27/model-500-rarity-the-mushroom-phone/#comment-21 Bert Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:42:21 +0000 http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/?p=14#comment-21 Since the phone companies had to supply the electrical power to the phone, they had to pay the electrical bill for that little light bulb to light up. Since they had thousands of customers, thousands of little light bulbs having to light up may have made it too expensive for this variant to take off. Since the phone companies had to supply the electrical power to the phone, they had to pay the electrical bill for that little light bulb to light up. Since they had thousands of customers, thousands of little light bulbs having to light up may have made it too expensive for this variant to take off.

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