Yes, 10-digit dialing is now required, even if you and the called party are both in the same area code/NPA. The prefix 1 is no longer required when placing the call from cell phones.
The Dial Comes To Town
AI supplants the operator. Oh my!A 1940 educational short by Bell Telephone to show customers that were receiving new dial phones how to use the new device, and why they were getting these new sets.
hey there! Berkley, also LIncoln [[54...) exchange
fun fact? When I was working for GM at the Milford Proving Grounds in the late 80's, they still had a stepper switch that supported five-digit dialing [[68x-xxxx)
Mine was UN-4 -0571 [[University) Northwest Detroit.
Last edited by Cincinnati_Kid; November-22-23 at 01:31 PM.
When we moved into Detroit from Dearborn [[yeah, dumb move, but that was 1946) our phone number was DAvison 2539. Few years later when they went to seven digits it was changed to WEbster 4-2539. Was nice they let us keep our last four digits.
I believe the former Hermann's bakery used to identify themselves with an LI#-#### number well after named prefixes became a thing of the past.
My grandma's number was a VErmont number. Even though letter prefixes were no longer being used when I was a kid, I still remember my mom putting my grandma down as an emergency contact for school and recording her number as VE#-####. Young me didn't understand why she did that.
Upper east side; Kelly and 7 mile. LA7-5380. 16061 Maddelein. Have never forgotten it
On the lower East Side our number was EDgewater 18904, my neighbor down the street was VAlley 27281, when we moved to Grosse Pointe it was TUxedo 57182 and when I lived in Ferndale it was LIncoln 71532. Kind of frightening that I can remember these from decades ago, and not ones I learned last week.
I posted in this thread a couple of years ago, with my grandparents' and parents' numbers. When I read that post I realized that my parents sold that house and moved south in 1990. My grandparents have been dead for more than a half century and their house is long gone. Yet, both of those phone numbers are still embedded in my brain, but I can't remember the last couple of my own phone numbers.
TUxedo 4-2340 120' from Grosse Pointe Wds into Harper Wds.
LAkeview 6-6947 and PRescott 5-6601, HW and SCS are 2 numbers I dialed often, but they have not existed in my sphere for 60 some odd years, yet I still remember them. Do NOT ask me what I had for lunch. :P
What year did using letters as prefixes stop? Our number starting in 491 never had one throughout the 1970s
There was TUxedo and TUlsa. We were on the far east side near Balduck Park with a TUxedo number. The differentiation might have had to do with which number following TU. In this thread, TUxedo numbers have begun with 1,2,4,5 and 6 and no one has dialed in with a TUlsa number.
1954 How to dial your phone by Bell System
TUlsa 3 was an exchange of of Highland Park. Lots of it dedicated to Chrysler.There was TUxedo and TUlsa. We were on the far east side near Balduck Park with a TUxedo number. The differentiation might have had to do with which number following TU. In this thread, TUxedo numbers have begun with 1,2,4,5 and 6 and no one has dialed in with a TUlsa number.
Detroit Free Press, Oct 14, 1984
This brings up the question of how were the alphabetic prefixes determined as there could have been several possibilities for the number combinations on the dial. I'm guessing they were officially determined by Bell when they were assigning phone numbers, but what level of telephone executive got to make that call I wonder.
Good question. I know Bell was very meticulous about avoiding ambiguous sounds. When asked why they don't say "zero" one operator responded that it sounds too much like "three o." They were trained to just say "O" instead. Go figure.This brings up the question of how were the alphabetic prefixes determined as there could have been several possibilities for the number combinations on the dial. I'm guessing they were officially determined by Bell when they were assigning phone numbers, but what level of telephone executive got to make that call I wonder.
Wikipedia has a list of recommended central office names, q.v., Ma Bell’s Officially Recommended Exchange Names.
To help foster the use of exchange names, send this list everywhere, or print out copies and hand them out on streetcorners!
Last edited by Jimaz; December-02-23 at 01:06 PM.
Last post here: 6 Digit Telephone Numbers - What years?This brings up the question of how were the alphabetic prefixes determined as there could have been several possibilities for the number combinations on the dial. I'm guessing they were officially determined by Bell when they were assigning phone numbers, but what level of telephone executive got to make that call I wonder.
|
Bookmarks