GPO 706 Field Trial Phone

[Hotline]

Hello everyone

I recently acquired a 1963 GPO 706 phone.

According to the base it is a Field Trial phone, I previously thought the Field Trial phones dated from 1959, but this is a 1963.

I have noticed these differences from other 706 phones that I have seen:

Field Trial printed on the base

Field Trial printed inside the case.

It has the raised effect 3D arrowheads/chevrons on the dial plate in light gold.

It has a clear finger dial, upon examination this dial is different to the ones fitted to late 706 and the 746 phones, it is thicker and heavier so I think it may be original to the phone and it would make sense to have a clear dial to show off the light gold dial plate.

All the plastic parts have a small circle with a line though it embossed - case, handset, earpiece and microphone caps.

It has "Patents Applied For" printed on the rocker assembly.

I attach some photos (over 2 posts), maybe someone can shed some light on to exactly what that this phone is.

The final photo shows it after a good clean up, it polished up well but there is some discolouring evident to the case and handset.

Thanks

Richard

[Hotline]

More photos 

[twocvbloke]

Quite an intriguing piece with the Field Trial stamps all over it, like you I can't see anything different other than the fingerwheel and dial plate, it would be interesting if there was anyone out there who knows something about this particular field trial model...

[Hotline]

Indeed, I am struggling to work out why they would have needed field trials in 1963, four years after the 706 had been launched!

[Jim Stettler]

Find of the Month, Find of the Month, Find of the Month,

Sorry if I repeated myself.
I think this is a great contender for Find of the Month,

Just my opinion,
Jim S.

[paul-f]

Indeed, I am struggling to work out why they would have needed field trials in 1963, four years after the 706 had been launched!

It was common in the US to have field trials after a phone was in production. Usually it was to test an internal component that was to be replaced with a new model, such as a network or dial.

If the dial is the only part that looks different, a photo of the back would be nice.

Tracking down the purpose of finds like this make collecting interesting. Thanks for posting and congratulations on the find!

[HarrySmith]

My thoughts exactly! There must be something in the phone new to the model that was being tested. Could be the dial.

[Dan/Panther]

Find of the Month, Find of the Month, Find of the Month,

Sorry if I repeated myself.
I think this is a great contender for Find of the Month,

Just my opinion,
Jim S.

Well I don't know about that, but I think it could qualify as a candidate for "Find Of The Month".

D/P

[Hotline]

It was common in the US to have field trials after a phone was in production. Usually it was to test an internal component that was to be replaced with a new model, such as a network or dial.

If the dial is the only part that looks different, a photo of the back would be nice.

Tracking down the purpose of finds like this make collecting interesting. Thanks for posting and congratulations on the find!

Thanks Paul, the back on the phone looks like a standard 706.

Thanks for your kind posts everyone.

Well "Find of the month" would be very nice!    Can I nominate my own phone? 

The only difference I can see (apart from the raised 3D effect gold chevrons the dial plate) is the transparent plastic finger wheel, a heavier type to that fitted to later 746 phones. I was also wondering if the case and handset plastic could be different to the normal Diakon and ABS fitted to the 706. As far as I can tell the internal components look identical to a standard 706.

[AE_Collector]

Of course you can nominate your own phone....or Jim...why don't you nominate this one?

I've nominated one this month though there are no limits on how many you can nominate.

Terry

[paul-f]

The only difference I can see (apart from the raised 3D effect gold chevrons the dial plate) is the transparent plastic finger wheel, a heavier type to that fitted to later 746 phones. I was also wondering if the case and handset plastic could be different to the normal Diakon and ABS fitted to the 706. As far as I can tell the internal components look identical to a standard 706.

So that opens the floor up for wild speculation.  What possible use would have prompted the cost of retooling?

Looking nice probably wouldn't qualify.

One possible use would be to provide tactile feedback for blind subscribers. They could position their dialing finger by touch, then count the bumps as they ran up the dial.

Other suggestions?

[twocvbloke]

As far as I can see, the chevrons on the dial plate appear to be on the rear of the plastic, so they wouldn't be felt (though that's from looking only, so could be completely wrong), and as a dial has holes in the fingerwheel anyway, a blind person could probably dial relatively easily by counting the holes...

Being a "Mark 1" 706 (the Mark 2 was the version with the printed circuit board, even though the two were produced at the same time), it's hard to compare with what I have here as I only have the Mark 2 in my manual and green 706, so they loo different regardless, the only obvious one is the dial, as later 706s were fitted with the clear fingerwheel with a numbered plate, so, maybe it is just an aesthetics trial for what later became that design...

[Hotline]

As far as I can see, the chevrons on the dial plate appear to be on the rear of the plastic, so they wouldn't be felt (though that's from looking only, so could be completely wrong), and as a dial has holes in the fingerwheel anyway, a blind person could probably dial relatively easily by counting the holes...

Being a "Mark 1" 706 (the Mark 2 was the version with the printed circuit board, even though the two were produced at the same time), it's hard to compare with what I have here as I only have the Mark 2 in my manual and green 706, so they loo different regardless, the only obvious one is the dial, as later 706s were fitted with the clear fingerwheel with a numbered plate, so, maybe it is just an aesthetics trial for what later became that design...

Yes you are right, the chevrons are embossed into the reverse of the plastic so they are not felt from the front.

I have nominated the phone for "Find of the Month".

[markosjal]

Indeed, I am struggling to work out why they would have needed field trials in 1963, four years after the 706 had been launched!

Have you compared regulator circuits to this and earlier ones?

[Hotline]

Have you compared regulator circuits to this and earlier ones?

Yes and I can't see any differences, so I think it was likely a trial for the clear dial and gold back plate.