TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: History: Pecking Order For Telephone Operator Jobs?

Re: History: Pecking Order For Telephone Operator Jobs?

hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
23 Jan 2006 13:20:00 -0800

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In the years I was involved in this
> sort of thing, I appreciated being in the essence of a 'small town'
> environment where the few people on duty had a variety of tasks to
> accomplish. That made it a lot more interesting. PAT]

The retired telephone operator from my town is an example of that. As
the operator of a small town exchange of about 400 lines, she did most
everything (toll calls were relayed to the next town). She provided
all of today's fancy features plus kept track of where the town doctor
and police officer were. Just like "Mayberry". She enjoyed her job.

When they put in dial, she was transferred to a nearby city.
Completely different -- high volume traffic, strict protocols, etc.

Switchboard duty varied by the size of the town. In big cities it was
completely specialized, and that's where I wonder about pecking order.
I moderately sized cities and towns the dial 0 assistance operators
could do more things -- local assistance and long distance, intercept.

As long distance itself became automated, they ceased using separate
long distance operators and merged them in with regular 0 operators.
(This was before TSP consoles).

A dial 0 handling local and long distance seemed a reasonably
interesting job, even with most calls automated.

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