TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: City Party Line Service

City Party Line Service

hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
17 Aug 2006 10:58:36 -0700

When party lines are discussed, people usually talk about coded
ringing and that everyone's phone rang with all calls.

However, in city service this did not occur.

The panel dial switching system, developed in 1922, included
provisions for two and four party line service, which were common in
those days. Each party had their own listed phone number and could be
anything, not necessarily consecutive. There was no need for party
letters. When calling a party line, the switchgear deteced the type
of selective ringing and (bias and ground combinations) and sent out
the appropriate ringing current. Only the desired telephone rang.
This helped privacy since other parties wouldn't know the phone was in
use.

After WW II party line service declined, but postwar Bell System had a
bad shortage of capacity to meet new demand, so party lines were
forced to continue more than many users wanted. (Movie "Pillow Talk").

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