Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Forum News => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: WoodeGA on January 04, 2015, 01:50:03 PM

Title: New member from Atlanta
Post by: WoodeGA on January 04, 2015, 01:50:03 PM
Hi everybody!

I've been lurking on the board for a couple of weeks now and decided I should just go ahead and join. I just bought a 2702B Princess phone on eBay (it's not even here yet!) because of my love for mid-century stuff. I think, though, that vintage telephones may become a bit of a hobby after getting happily lost on the internet learning about the Princess before I bought it.

I got a little deeper experience with phones a few years ago when a friend bought a building for his mental health practice, which had a complete Toshiba Strata DK280 system left in it. With the help of a local phone guy we got it up and running. I even put Asterisk on an old PC to use for voicemail. At the time I suggested my friend get new IP phones and run everything on Asterisk, but the Toshiba didn't cost any extra and it's been perfectly reliable for seven years now. It was also fascinating to learn to work with punch-down blocks and tone generators.

In the process of all that internet research about Princess phones, I completely geeked out on the history of the phone service here in Atlanta, even so far as trying to figure out the old exchange name in my neighborhood (I think it was TRinity before going to all number calling). That was especially fascinating, because my grandmother once lived here in Midtown Atlanta, and I wonder what her exchange might have been. And yep, I hunted down my CO building and found out that it has been pretty much in the same spot the whole time.

My biggest curiosity now is getting the Princess phone hooked up to my Uverse VOIP, and maybe figuring out if there's a way I can somehow share it over the lines in my apartment so I can hook up more old phones! And I'm wondering if AT&T will let me change my number to use numbers that correspond to the historical exchange here.

Thanks for all the great posts, y'all! I hope I can contribute something, too.
Woody
Title: Re: New member from Atlanta
Post by: Mr. Bones on January 04, 2015, 02:37:56 PM
Welcome to the forum, Woody!

     I think you'll enjoy being here, and we're glad to have you. I'm looking forward to seeing your 'new' Princess, so please post pics when you're able!

Best regards!
Title: Re: New member from Atlanta
Post by: dsk on January 04, 2015, 03:07:11 PM
Welcome to the forum!

dsk
Title: Re: New member from Atlanta
Post by: HarrySmith on January 04, 2015, 08:46:12 PM
Welcome to the forum Woody! You have found the best forum on the web. There is nearly endless knowledge & experience here and all are willing to share selflessly. Your rotary dial phone will not dial out on U-verse. It will ring and you will be able to talk on it but U-verse does not support pulse dialing.
Title: Re: New member from Atlanta
Post by: poplar1 on January 04, 2015, 09:04:26 PM
The old Brookwood or TRinity central office was on Crescent Ave, north of 10th Street. That part of Crescent Ave. was closed when they built the new Federal Reserve Bank building. It was a cream color brick building erected in 1916 as a manual office, and the electromechanical step-by-step equipment was added starting in 1931. There is more Atlanta telephone history at Will Cardwell's site:
http://www.atlantatelephonehistory.info/index.html



Title: Re: New member from Atlanta
Post by: WoodeGA on January 04, 2015, 10:33:30 PM
HarrySmith, thanks! It's a TouchTone, so I hope I'll be ok. I do want to eventually get a few old rotary phones. I found the Dialgizmo site, so when it happens that I do get a rotary, I'll hopefully be able to use it as well.

Poplar1, I love that site! That's where I got lost reading about phone history. I guess I mis-remembered the timing of the Peachtree Place CO coming into service and eventually replacing the Crescent office across the street--it was way later. I found on another site that the old TRinity exchanges are still served out of the Peachtree Place CO: http://bit.ly/1AdmHor It almost makes me want to order a POTS line!
Title: Re: New member from Atlanta
Post by: poplar1 on January 04, 2015, 11:29:04 PM
There's no installation charge for an AT&T landline in GA if ordered online. Then you could port the number to Magic Jack, which is about $3 a month.