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BellSouth's "Press Blue To Get Through"

Started by Markgregory, August 01, 2018, 03:30:09 PM

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Stormcrash

Very cool!  Seems everyone was trying to get into the catchy collect calling craze of the 90's/2000's, the last hurrah of the payphone.  It was nice that Verizon was one of the last Bells still in the payphone game.  I remember seeing Verizon payphones downtown and in offices around 2010 that still had the "Bell System made by Western Electric" on the coin slot, and the bell still proudly displayed on the side plexiglass panels.  Alas, you don't even see them in airports anymore, though I should probably note I've never actually dialed a call on a payphone in my life.  Thanks for the history and card scans, nice that you got one in such immaculate shape.

Markgregory

Stormcrash, your comment piqued my curiosity so I checked the coin return on my phone. It does say "Bell System, made by Western Electric." Mark

Stormcrash

Nice, fits well with your theory that this was a lightly used WE Fortress that BellSouth refurbished but never placed back into service. Kevin

Key2871

I remember seeing Verizon pay phones and they had the 69 bell on the face plate and bell system made by western electric coin returns in a mall, then seems like with in a few weeks they changed the uppers to blank plates but still had the BS, WE coin returns in them. Thought it was odd that for the longest time they still had the bell logo, then whoosh it was gone.
KEN