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More Phone Phun

Started by Adam, March 26, 2011, 04:51:53 PM

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Adam

Something just struck me as I was looking at a picture of the back of an old Bell System payphone "Out Of Order" sign.

It makes logical sense, but shouldn't the fact that you'd have to call the repair service "from another telephone" go without saying?

:)
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820

Owain

Not necessarily; on British payphones if there was a fault with the coin collecting box it could be strapped out of circuit and the payphone left with operator access for emergency calls only.

GG



We had payphones once.  They were all over the place....

After the US went from coin-first to dial tone first, and developed the nationwide 911 emergency number, it became possible to do that with payphones here.  Usually what gets out of order is the coin collecting mechanism, but if the rest of the phone is working it can at least be used to make emergency calls.