When I first started working for the phone company (1978) I was an operator. A lot of folks that called in for help dialing a number would give you the number with the "exchange" first. You knew that they were old school. Our home number growing up was Sycamore 8-6727. I can't really remember using the phone much as a child but my mom told me that when she was young, you only had to dial the last four digits, 6727, if you were dialing a number in the same switch. Then it changed to 8-6727. Now with FiOS and all of the different area codes, you have to dial 10 digits to call your next door neighbor. That's progress.
I used to know all of the area codes and where they belonged. Now, I don't even try to remember. I do know that Delaware still has just one area code. I don't know if any other states, Rhode Island maybe, just have one or not.
I work in an area that used to be all farm land. The central office is very small. I still come across phone numbers that are billed as party lines. They have been long since moved off of party line equipment but still pay the party line rate. While we never had a party line, we had neighbors growing up that had one. I remember picking up the phone to call home only to hear someone on there already. I couldn't figure out what was going on.
We also still have rotary phones in the office. They are pretty sturdy. I have a co-worker who has started a telephone museum with old equipment that he has collected.
I used to know all of the area codes and where they belonged. Now, I don't even try to remember. I do know that Delaware still has just one area code. I don't know if any other states, Rhode Island maybe, just have one or not.
I work in an area that used to be all farm land. The central office is very small. I still come across phone numbers that are billed as party lines. They have been long since moved off of party line equipment but still pay the party line rate. While we never had a party line, we had neighbors growing up that had one. I remember picking up the phone to call home only to hear someone on there already. I couldn't figure out what was going on.
We also still have rotary phones in the office. They are pretty sturdy. I have a co-worker who has started a telephone museum with old equipment that he has collected.
