Comments by "CalBob750" (@calbob750) on "ATu0026T Archives: Seeing the Digital Future (1961)" video.

  1. I worked for the Bell System for 33 years. The further along the breakup of the Bell System progressed the greater the degradation of customer service. Once upon a time all technicians in a location received the same training. Then someone discovered that training cost money and customer service was cheaper with flip charts and an overseas call center.
    8
  2. The Bell System was able to keep electromechanical switching from the 1920s chugging along until the early 70s in the network. That is why you had rotary dial telephones. Before Electronic Switching Systems connections were made using electromechanical Step by Step and Panel or Crossbar. There are videos on those vintage systems.
    7
  3. In the 70s a high speed data circuit was 56kb.
    5
  4. No voice mail, touch tone phones just emerging, no fiber optic cable. Hi speed data circuit 56kb. The Bell System was still operating switching systems developed in the 1920’s. The first Electronic Switching System was about ten years away. And then “divestiture”.
    1