Start An Exciting New Career - Become A Toll Telephone Operator

[mark_wpduet]

I just watched that video above ATT operator 1969 and listening to some of those calls......Nothing changed from 1969 to 1999 in terms of what some of those people were calling in for. A complete flashback. I remember sometimes I would get short with people because it was sooo frustrating. Not sure what those cards were they were filling out, but wow that would have been a ROYAL pain!

 

[jamiel]

I understand globally what happened with job classifications (I've worked in telephony since 1992) but was more interested in those specific people...y'know...Jason Bright was an operator in 1972, but completed his divinity degree in 1978 and is now a megachurch pastor...Sophia Smits was the first Black female manager in 1968, stayed with the Bell System and retired as Director of XYZ in 1991...et cetera. Just curious.

Working at Cingular was interesting...Bell South's labor relations were far better than SBC's; and it seemed about every year or so the SBC managers had to take strike duty somewhere (so projects came to a halt). Rule was that they couldn't do the work in their local area, so the Dallas people we worked with seemed to go to California for strike duty.

I remember during a phone strike in 1982 or so, I worked for a market research company. Managers were staffing all frontline positions at the phone company, and you could pull some shi** when calling Directory Assistance (normally you were limited to 2 numbers retrieved, but you could keep bopping around the system and get endless numbers).

Another memory during that period...we did agricultural market research (remember calling about Ivermectin paste....goodness where'd that come from) Anyway, it was fun dialing around the country and getting into the reeeallly rural areas where you could here the tones and pulses as the call was routed into East Bumfu**.

 

[westie2]

How rotary phones worked

Here is an article of how the old rotary phones worked to get a call out and to another phone.  I remember seeing the lind finders working at the Telco at home.  Where the clicks came from.  Really neat to see them in person withthe things moving up and down for the finder.

 

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[fnelson487]

I Worked My Way

Through high school and college at the phone company as a toll office operator.  I loved that job and would do it again in a flash.  Of course I have a bit of OCD.  Here is a copy of a newspaper article about me as the first male telephone operator in DeKalb, IL.  Home of Northern Illinois University.  Helped pay for my CPA education.  They were a bit militaristic, but when you dialed "0" you wanted someone to answer and put your call through quick.  Also did the transition from cord boards to toll service desks with 0+ dialing.

 

[fnelson487]

This is How I Remember It

A bit slower than I remember.

 

[fnelson487]

I Just Had To Have A Switchboard

At home.  Here is a Western Electric 556a with manual circuits.  This is a PBX which would have been in a private office setting, but close enough.  Works like a charm.  Taught Terry how to use is although he is a bit slouchy and not watching those lights.  Also listening in on calls. Hmmmm.  This puppy works like a charm.  Western Electric made them to last.

 

[fnelson487]

Close Up

Of the cords and lights.  Wired and totally functional.

 

[rp2813]

Well Fred, I'm having a hard time following the toll operator job, but I'm sure it became intuitive rather quickly, and no doubt happened at a much faster pace than shown in the training film.

 

I also recognize the familiar voice of the narrator.  I've forgotten her name, and I think she passed away a year or two ago.  She's the voice of various intercept messages one would sometimes encounter, some of which are still used today.

 

[fnelson487]

Have Some Phones

To go with that board.  A rose-colored 302.  Hooks right into the 556a and still works.  Have touch-tone phones hooked up as well as dial phone.  Amazing that they still work on copper wires to the central office. How much longer?  Plug the station line into the trunk line and you can dial anywhere. Can't use the # and * functions, but fun, nonethelesss.

 

[abcomatic]

Fred, it is so good to see you

I am between 63 and death and remember using operator assisted calls. Here are a few examples. I had to call a girlfriend of mine (1966)in Meadows, IL. I lived in Pontiac, Il. then and had to go through the operator,(GTE) to Meadows. Here is how the call went: Number please. Meadows, 4 red. Ringing Meadows 4 red. (a second or two). Hello, Gridley, Meadows 4 red. Ringing Meadows 4 red. Hello, Meadows. Ringing 4 red. "Hi, Rose, how are you?? lol I loved this! Gridley, IL was the first stop before Meadows which is just down the road. Oh, and by the way. The operator in Pontiac was my girlfriend in Pontiac and heard the entire conversation. Opps, did I get into trouble and my girlfriend in Pontiac was the Sheriff's daughter. lol
One more: We called my aunt and uncle in the country near Graymont, Il.(1967) In Pontiac: Hello, number please. Graymont, Il- Wesley Black. (Graymont) the phone exchange was in her home in Graymont). Hello, Pontiac, Graymont, Il. Ringing Wesley Black,(Hi Donna,(my mom's first name). Can you wait a second, the potatoes are boiling over and I need to turn down the gas). My mom, "Hi, Alma, how are you doing?" Fine here. Oh,that's good. Do you know if Wes and Arlene are home? I think they are, Wes has been doing corn work in the field and Arlene has been in the garden. Donna, I'll connect you. Busy signal, Donna, she is talking with her mother about church on Sunday. (My mom, thanks Alma, nice to talk with you, I hope your dinner is ok?). It is fine, thanks for calling, and hope to see you soon.
Folks, that was a real phone conversation! lol
When I first started teaching school in Cullom, Il. in 1972. We had in Cullom, the Inland Phone Company. If you made a local call, you could only talk for 4 min. and the phone went"dead" until you recalled to talk. Wow, what a difference there is today. ( I didn't do any quote marks in my message here or it would have taken a long time to do. Gary

 

[michaelman2]

Fred, I remember this picture...I love that board.  I have a switchboard on display at our local Tourist Center.  It is a 1950s Automatic Electric board.  PBX that is almost identical to the central office boards (toggle switches and all)

 

[rp2813]

Those appear to be Automatic Electric dials on the CO boards in the training films.

 

[michaelman2]

Ralph, I know the board that I mentioned one post above, does indeed have an "American Electric" badge on the board.  It is almost identical to the CO boards shown in the training films.  The exception is that this was a PBX and has more cord pairs and is symmetrical in layout.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Actually the closest occupation you have to this nowadays & what is in a fairly steady demand (and most dominated by female employees) is CASHIERING...

(Even w/ the increasing emergence of self-serve 'cash registers')

-- Dave

 

[retromania]

Fun! Fun!

 

[retromania]

Oh. There's that man that passed away. He seemed so nice. Sorry I never met him.

 

[rp2813]

What's Your NCS Date?

For those who work(ed) for Ma Bell, rendering your NCS (Net Credited Service) date was akin to name, rank and serial number, and often provided as an automatic reflex to the question before stopping to think about who's asking. 

 

I just realized that today is mine:  8/26/91.

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Now Don't Forget Your BSS Date , Ralph!

Mine were 2/2/78...

 

[ptcruiser51]

Mine was

8/11/72

 

[hunter]

mine

6/6/86, though when I came back to AT&T after going to Bellcore, it got adjusted...but my original was 6/6/86.