It's interesting hearing all these vintage US sounds - I remember some of them from films. I'm from Ireland where we had our own selection of sounds over the years. I'm kind of obsessed with phones and in particular number allocations and area codes. . . I must be slightly autistic or something :)
Thanks so much for posting these. My father worked for SCB in Nashville as a frame attendant and other roles from 1966 to 1998 and as a kid he'd take me into the CO's. I was always amazed at the noise and loved watching the moving parts. That would've been the early 80's. I worked for Bellsouth briefly in 03 and 04 and when first stepping into a CO I wondered where all the noise was and noticed that the offices were mostly empty.
This is awesome !! I am so glad that these sounds are being preserved. This is the time frame (60's & 70's) that I grew up in and this video reminds me of the good old days when things were simplier. I miss my old rotary-dial phone. I hate cell phones. Thanks for the upload !
I remember hearing the Crossbar 1 "crybaby" wrong number signal (was a much lower tones than the one in your example here) and I was only 7 yrs. old. It spooked me so much as it sounded so weird that I dropped the phone receiver and ran. My dad had to hang up the phone. LOL! Every time I knew I dialed a wrong number I'd cringe even in my teen years (80s!) but then one day in the 80s I heard a recording. I was so relieved!
8:12 This is pretty close to the "crazy lady" sound I remember hearing when a number was incorrectly dialed in the '60s, but the one I heard had a higher pitch and was more of a buzz. When I was really young, we had a party line and one day I got an earful from a live, angry woman when I picked up the phone at the wrong time; later, when I heard this signal, it crossed my mind that maybe all the aggravation I'd cause had finally pushed her over the edge.
These sounds bring back so many memories. In my teens I would spend hours dialing hundreds of variations of phone numbers and listening to what happened and how it all sounded. I devised many tricks to make free phone calls and use certain numbers as a conference lines for all of my friends to talk together. I had no idea I was actually a phone phreak!
I started working for AT&T back in 1973....it was a very strict work environment but I enjoyed. I worked in 7 different dept. Employees took great pride in their jobs. When you hired on you knew you had a job for life. Things changed after 1985 with the breakup of the Bell System. I miss the old days.
Do you have anything on Joanne Daniels, I'm starting to think my favorite voice is that of Joanne Daniels, and this whole time I thought her name was Mary Moore.
I'm glad to find these here. With less jargon than the website recordings, it makes the magic of the incredibly complex telephone system of the past easier to understand and appreciate by the public at large. I worked for The Bell System back in the 80's and remember fondly all the trunk, switching and MF sounds. Every call was like a little audio excursion.
You have a great voice. This is soothing to listen to.
ThePaulcano 1 week ago
It's interesting hearing all these vintage US sounds - I remember some of them from films. I'm from Ireland where we had our own selection of sounds over the years. I'm kind of obsessed with phones and in particular number allocations and area codes. . . I must be slightly autistic or something :)
caggles1 3 weeks ago
34:40 is a hebrew announcement.
yaronimus1 1 month ago
Thanks so much for posting these. My father worked for SCB in Nashville as a frame attendant and other roles from 1966 to 1998 and as a kid he'd take me into the CO's. I was always amazed at the noise and loved watching the moving parts. That would've been the early 80's. I worked for Bellsouth briefly in 03 and 04 and when first stepping into a CO I wondered where all the noise was and noticed that the offices were mostly empty.
jstevenstntau 1 month ago
This is awesome !! I am so glad that these sounds are being preserved. This is the time frame (60's & 70's) that I grew up in and this video reminds me of the good old days when things were simplier. I miss my old rotary-dial phone. I hate cell phones. Thanks for the upload !
Lapp6192 1 month ago
Well done. Thanks for sharing
alpacamafia 1 month ago
I remember hearing the Crossbar 1 "crybaby" wrong number signal (was a much lower tones than the one in your example here) and I was only 7 yrs. old. It spooked me so much as it sounded so weird that I dropped the phone receiver and ran. My dad had to hang up the phone. LOL! Every time I knew I dialed a wrong number I'd cringe even in my teen years (80s!) but then one day in the 80s I heard a recording. I was so relieved!
TheByteBin 1 month ago
really cool tapes. I am glad you took the time.
jonbosanac 1 month ago
p.s. as per the "city ring" at 19:25, we had that static between rings out as far as Islip, Long Island...
kevinivers 2 months ago in playlist Uploaded videos
Can I just say how fabulous your OCD is ? I grew up on Long Island in the 70s and had forgotten all about this stuff. Riveting entertainment!!
kevinivers 2 months ago in playlist Uploaded videos
8:12 This is pretty close to the "crazy lady" sound I remember hearing when a number was incorrectly dialed in the '60s, but the one I heard had a higher pitch and was more of a buzz. When I was really young, we had a party line and one day I got an earful from a live, angry woman when I picked up the phone at the wrong time; later, when I heard this signal, it crossed my mind that maybe all the aggravation I'd cause had finally pushed her over the edge.
lrd9999 3 months ago
Comment removed
thecooldude9999 3 months ago
Remember the free long distance sound? You could break into the system with a wistel. We did it in boy scouts. We are OLD, lol.
bigdanbear 3 months ago
@bigdanbear thats 2600 hertz
thecooldude9999 3 months ago
Remember the free long distance sound? You could break into the system with a wistel. We did it in boy scouts.
bigdanbear 3 months ago
Why, after the beep at 9:55 does the first tone going out have a longer duration than the others?
And what's that pulsing sound just prior to the line going active 9:53 to 9:54?
pmgodfrey 4 months ago
Nice so long that I couldn't finish it...
Retro
RetroVintageItems27 4 months ago
I think I heard that siren of whistling tone is called a howler. have you'll heard of that? Do you'll have a recording of that?
misterrailroadman 5 months ago
This is great stuff! Thanxx a lot for the upload.
Do you know a place that store recordings from german telephones?
crlgroup 5 months ago
These sounds bring back so many memories. In my teens I would spend hours dialing hundreds of variations of phone numbers and listening to what happened and how it all sounded. I devised many tricks to make free phone calls and use certain numbers as a conference lines for all of my friends to talk together. I had no idea I was actually a phone phreak!
bosdon 6 months ago 6
The reason for "Precise dial tone" was to facilitate touch tone (DTMF).
And, phone phreaking is still around.
Think about this, you pick up your handset and get dial tone, ringing tone, busy tone, all from your line card.
How does caller ID work? on hook? 1200 baud modem?
Ever try to emulate a caller ID device? YES! you can connect to your line card, and from there to SS7, and the switch proper.
Arabhacks 7 months ago
I started working for AT&T back in 1973....it was a very strict work environment but I enjoyed. I worked in 7 different dept. Employees took great pride in their jobs. When you hired on you knew you had a job for life. Things changed after 1985 with the breakup of the Bell System. I miss the old days.
whiskeyify 9 months ago
I'd love to hear a recording of the #1XB District Junctor Test Frame in operation. Don't suppose you'd have that one though.
CRUClEFICTION 1 year ago
Do you have anything on Joanne Daniels, I'm starting to think my favorite voice is that of Joanne Daniels, and this whole time I thought her name was Mary Moore.
revision2011 1 year ago
I'm glad to find these here. With less jargon than the website recordings, it makes the magic of the incredibly complex telephone system of the past easier to understand and appreciate by the public at large. I worked for The Bell System back in the 80's and remember fondly all the trunk, switching and MF sounds. Every call was like a little audio excursion.
SallySallySallySally 1 year ago 4
4th ...
FUUUUUU
ecuabron 1 year ago
2nd
Beafanboy 1 year ago
1st
WhoScopes 1 year ago