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Wednesdays

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87. Interesting how the phrase, "Dial the phone" is still in use

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Wed Apr 20, 2022, 06:54 PM

Apr 2022

Even though people very rarely actually dial phones anymore.

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Remember THESE phones? [View all] RandySF Apr 2022 OP

I'm pretty sure we had push button phones in 1982. beaglelover Apr 2022 #1

1963... lame54 Apr 2022 #3

You may have had that service in 1982. Everyone didn't. Mariana Apr 2022 #26

My earliest memories are from c. 1980, and my parents had a touch-tone phone Spider Jerusalem Apr 2022 #57

My father installed the newer switching equipment Mariana Apr 2022 #91

I remember having a push button phone back then, but the phone company charged extra for touch tone. Angleae Apr 2022 #33

We had Rebl2 Apr 2022 #40

1991... mwooldri Apr 2022 #58

We had push button phones in our house in the early 70s. BigmanPigman Apr 2022 #62

My dad worked for Mountain Bell ChazII Apr 2022 #77

Growing up, we had an old rotary from the 50's on the wall, in the kitchen. paleotn Apr 2022 #73

Yes, but rotary dial phones PatSeg Apr 2022 #86

In rural Texas Horse with no Name Apr 2022 #98

And we laughed at the thought of switchboard operators... lame54 Apr 2022 #2

I Was A Switchboard RobinA Apr 2022 #7

The first video games lame54 Apr 2022 #15

The First Computer Game..... In 1962, Steve Russell invented Spacewar Celerity Apr 2022 #47

Did not have that one but we got the first version of the home Atari. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Apr 2022 #50

I was a switchboard operator for Airborne Freight in LA and later for the Seattle Chamber of ratchiweenie Apr 2022 #75

My mother was a switchboard operator for decades. Dial H For Hero Apr 2022 #97

Think we have a couple. gibraltar72 Apr 2022 #4

I remember when a long distance call Mme. Defarge Apr 2022 #5

Remember when calls were based on the exchange? You could call 5 miles away free, neighbor toll call TheBlackAdder Apr 2022 #71

Never heard of that. Mme. Defarge Apr 2022 #89

Back in the 60s and 70s, your phone had an exchange, neighbors could be wired to another one. TheBlackAdder Apr 2022 #92

Yep, I remember them. sakabatou Apr 2022 #6

Telemarketers were still uncommon then. lpbk2713 Apr 2022 #8

A good time to post this video ... Whiskeytide Apr 2022 #9

Those boys never watched an old movie? intrepidity Apr 2022 #17

come on TxGuitar Apr 2022 #28

From 8 years ago: Kids React to Rotary Phones JHB Apr 2022 #10

On a lark, we went retro w/ our home line and bought a rotary. Torchlight Apr 2022 #11

Last sentence Rebl2 Apr 2022 #42

I remember having committed to memory, House of Roberts Apr 2022 #12

I still remember some of the numbers of childhood friends happybird Apr 2022 #20

I remember my Rebl2 Apr 2022 #45

We still had rotary dial phones in our house in the early '90s Diamond_Dog Apr 2022 #13

And the more nines in the phone number MOMFUDSKI Apr 2022 #14

Yep. happybird Apr 2022 #21

Guess the old exchanges were stone age stuff sdfernando Apr 2022 #16

When I was a kid, our prefix was 'cypress 5' EYESORE 9001 Apr 2022 #18

I even remember the phone number my parents had in San Jose. ProudMNDemocrat Apr 2022 #19

CA8-4752. The exchange (there was only one in town) was Capital. rsdsharp Apr 2022 #22

I had a "BA- " in Fresno! vanlassie Apr 2022 #34

Was a time madamesilverspurs Apr 2022 #23

I do. I guess that makes me officially old, right? smirkymonkey Apr 2022 #24

I am older than you, I still use a dial phone every day. I have not come that far, but wait........ Stuart G Apr 2022 #79

*snort* smirkymonkey Apr 2022 #93

That's new technology, I remember when you told doc03 Apr 2022 #25

My great grandma had a phone like that, but the wires were on poles... hunter Apr 2022 #55

I read a story about some Ranch in west OK or Texas panhandle that used the barbed wire fence as a marked50 Apr 2022 #64

Good ol' Western Electric. Buns_of_Fire Apr 2022 #27

Yes. Often used in domestic violence when the woman tries to call the police Walleye Apr 2022 #30

I was cheap back then MiniMe Apr 2022 #29

Remember when we waited till Sunday when the rates went down to make a long distance call Walleye Apr 2022 #31

Yep Auggie Apr 2022 #52

Heck my grandmother had one hard-wired into her house Rstrstx Apr 2022 #32

I recall it being really really difficult to butt-dial somebody with one of those Shermann Apr 2022 #35

Hell, I remember in the late 40s we had a black phone, kskiska Apr 2022 #36

Remember the long ass phone cord that would be attached to the receiver in the kitchen so beaglelover Apr 2022 #37

Yep. And, I became expert in untangling it. OldBaldy1701E Apr 2022 #51

I was too cheap to buy a cordless phone when they came out ... Auggie Apr 2022 #53

This message was self-deleted by its author kskiska Apr 2022 #38

We had a phone guy come to the house and I smiled enough he gave me an outlet in my room! Lettuce Be Apr 2022 #39

Mama Bell don't take my pink princess phone away. hunter Apr 2022 #41

I like the "clicking-clickity" sound... 3catwoman3 Apr 2022 #43

We used to play by dialing the number using only the off hook. scipan Apr 2022 #60

I kind of miss them. Grumpy Old Guy Apr 2022 #44

I even remember the phone number SleeplessinSoCal Apr 2022 #46

Hey... That rhymes! Lucid Dreamer Apr 2022 #101

Although I do not remember it, we had a party line when I was a toddler. OldBaldy1701E Apr 2022 #48

Oh, yes. I remember party lines. marked50 Apr 2022 #69

I remember Party Lines Mimi Susi Apr 2022 #94

Yep. OldBaldy1701E Apr 2022 #109

I still have the same phone number from when I married in 1961. No Vested Interest Apr 2022 #49

i got one sittine on my phone stand next to my cordless wen the power goes out . AllaN01Bear Apr 2022 #54

We had a rotary phone and were on a party line. Later on we got an extension phone...what luxury! dameatball Apr 2022 #56

I use a dial phone, every day..Mr. Dial is my ..."Main Phone" Yes, I have another, but don't use it Stuart G Apr 2022 #59

Yep...and I'll raise ya one....remember a "party line"? ashredux Apr 2022 #61

Not just a party line but I lived in a very small town and you had to listen Bev54 Apr 2022 #63

You be an old geezer...😊 ashredux Apr 2022 #78

LOL I don't feel old, a spry 68 but small logging town on Bev54 Apr 2022 #85

I knew a number of people when I was growing up that twodogsbarking Apr 2022 #65

Oh, good lord. Three words. Slimline Push Button. paleotn Apr 2022 #66

Princess Phones!!! BobTheSubgenius Apr 2022 #68

You betcha! With the really long cords. paleotn Apr 2022 #84

Really, REALLY long cords. BobTheSubgenius Apr 2022 #90

Are you saying that those of us with "Dial Phones" ...are .........."barbarians"? Stuart G Apr 2022 #70

Were barbarians. Now you're antiquarians paleotn Apr 2022 #80

You could actually dial the number yourself? TomWilm Apr 2022 #67

Yes, I still do that every day, and every time! Stuart G Apr 2022 #81

I remember using my rotary dial phone to connect to my AOL dial-up internet account. sop Apr 2022 #72

I saw a video with short clips of young teenagers trying to work a rotary phone. BobTheSubgenius Apr 2022 #74

2 things to remember that this OP jogged up . marked50 Apr 2022 #76

As a former telephony central office technician I could spin those dial really fast. TexLaProgressive Apr 2022 #82

I wasn't cool with it Warpy Apr 2022 #83

Interesting how the phrase, "Dial the phone" is still in use Wednesdays Apr 2022 #87

Growing up in the '60s and early '70s BumRushDaShow Apr 2022 #88

I still had one in my house garage up until 4 or 5 years ago, that's Emile Apr 2022 #95

Starting At 0:35 Lemon Lyman Apr 2022 #96

The good old days without telemarketers and scams. marie999 Apr 2022 #99

You could call "TIME" SalviaBlue Apr 2022 #100

...and if you wanted the "exact" time ... Lucid Dreamer Apr 2022 #104

Cool! SalviaBlue Apr 2022 #108

I remember THIS phone! BluesRunTheGame Apr 2022 #102

My grandmother bought me a Mickey Mouse push button phone for Xmas obamanut2012 Apr 2022 #103

We have two working Western Electric phones pretty much identical to this: Stinky The Clown Apr 2022 #105

I remember when dial phones were black - you could get any color you wanted ... FakeNoose Apr 2022 #106

Of course! And my phone number!! :-) LAS14 Apr 2022 #107

I remember the phones you just picked up and clicked the operator and spoke you number. Samrob Apr 2022 #110