Comments by "American Spirit" (@americanspirit8932) on "AT&T Tech Channel"
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I started working for Western Electric in February of 1963, I was forced to retire early due to an injury I had while working, already experienced several surgeries, but my second to last surgery, but I could no longer work. I went on disability, and I can tell you? AT&T that's what I retired when I called AT&T, took care of me 100% above and beyond the Call of Duty, I needed an electric bed they purchased that, I eventually needed an electric wheelchair they purchased that, they paid all my medical expenses, I was forced to leave New York and move to Florida for a warmer climate, to help me with my back problems, my body was twisted and I was researching and seeing other specialists. I lived in the Tampa Bay area, at the time and one neurosurgeon that I consulted with said to me what you require, most doctors that you already visited including myself are not even qualified. He suggested a visit Shands Hospital in Gainesville Florida, they told me what you required to take anywhere from 15 to 25 hours, it took 18 and a half hours, and after the longest spine surgery ever in the United States at that time, I had a real bad Staffing infection required an additional five and a half hours of surgery approximately 13 14 days later. Needless to say my medical expenses were through the roof, AT&T picked up every single penny, I could not even be moved from my home to the hospital for checkups they provided me with a private, c35 Learjet, had to paramedics on board aside from the crew. I required private duty nursing while in the hospital, even if there was discharge I had private duty nurse at home for approximately 1 year, started rehab and physical therapy, for approximately 7 years. They covered all my expenses 100%. I don't believe any other company would have taken care of their employees as much as they took care of me. They credit me with a total of approximately 35 36 years service. With full benefits, today is September 20th 2022. I still require High dosages of pain medication every single day, and I've been on that since that surgery that was in , January 1991. Today I still struggle with severe back pain. I had a total of five spine surgeries. In my opinion breaking up the Bell System in 1984 was a major mistake. Even though it was considered a monopoly, it employed millions of people, throughout the country. And yes we will all proud to say that we work for, m a bell.
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I wish they would have just explained, line load control, and how it works. Major emergency, Class C customers, or denied service temporarily Class B, I believe our police and medical, and Class A would be top priority government, and possible president broadcast. I forget all the details too many years I was employed with 36 years, or some electric then switch names to AT&T engineering, I started in February 1963, retired after 36 years. Today's date is August 27th 2022. In my opinion, the breakup of the Bell System in 1984, by judge green, was a major mistake for our country and communication services. Even though we were considered a monopoly, the communication between the Bell System was outstanding and services. Just an example Miracle On Second Avenue in 1975, if we were dealing with seven mini bell systems it would have been almost impossible to do what they did and accomplished. My memory not quite what it once was. Today's date is August 27th 2022
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I started working for Western electric, in February 1963. I worked on crossbar 5, ETS, tsps, number one ESS, number four ESS, number 5 ESS. I had to retire because of a injury I had while working picking up 18 lb of memory device, AT&T the name change for us from West electric to AT&T took care of everyone of my medical needs. But also while working in the field installing the systems, they would have deficiency experts on the job, trying to find a better way more efficient way, to do these huge installations, and always made me feel really proud they were watching out for their employees to make things run smoother. I was always proud to say I work for Western electric, and then AT&T when they changed names. Best years of my life, today is, September 3rd 2022. I remember the day of the breakup in 1984 when I was announced, most of us were really upset. The Bell System was never the same.
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I started working for what's the lottery, AT&T, and February 1963. I started working on Electro mechanical systems switching systems, that is. I remember working on a number 5 crossbar, at the 1964 65 World's Fair, in Corona, New York. I attended my first number one ESS School in 1965, at Madison Avenue New York. I worked on number one ESS, that stands for electronic switching system, for several years, then learned about ETS, electronic translator systems, that was the controlling systems for the, T1 carrier systems, at that time. Then went to school for tsps, Traffic Service position systems. That was the first electronic telephone operators switching system. Then went to school for, number f o u r, ESS, first digital electronic switching system, in Rego Park, Queens New York. Worked on several of those systems throughout New York metropolitan area as well as Upstate New York and Rochester for Rochester Communications. Then when to school for number five ESS, first electronic fiber optic switching system, and at the same time I was a member of the New York Tech Center in Manhattan, giving support wherever they needed, over the phone or I would fly, to whatever area had a problem. I'm retired from that position, due to Major complications of a spine surgery, 18 and 1/2 hours of surgery, approximately 13 to 14 days later on additional 5 and 1/2 hours of surgery, due to a major staph infection in my spine. I was given my last rights, and became disabled and unable to continue my employment with AT&T. I have 36 years employment. Today is August 28th 2022. Thank you for this post it brought back, great memories for me. God bless all of the former employees of AT&T in Western Electric, that are no longer with us. And God bless all of us who are still fortunate to be on this side of the lawn.
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We started installing number one ss back in 1964 in New York City area. Somebody said they started in 1977, way off. In the mid-70s we will installing number four ESS the first digital Electronics switching systems. Then we went on to number five ESS first digital fiber optic Electronics switching system. I worked on all of them, including ETS, electronic translator system, tsps, traffic service position systems, this is when we want to electronic switching for the operators, all electronic, the operator would sit down at a console, each console, seated two operators, 32 consoles, with 64 operators, they were arranged in a semicircle manner. Today's date August 28th 2022. I started working for Western Electric, in February 3rd, 1963. Spent many years in company schools. This technology not available in any college or university. Bell labs, that was our University, great experience and a superb education. I had 36 years, working for, Ma Belle.
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The awards or where only operators would sit, or replaced by a system called traffic service position systems, tsps. What we call a cog would be like, a bicycle wheel with spokes going out, the main central office for the tsps, wood Branch out off each spoke, and at the end of each spoke there would be a tsps system with 64 operators, each position had two operators sitting down with separate controls switches buttons, it was a lot more efficient it was all done electronically, but it eliminated thousands and thousands of operators. This was all Electronics digitally controlled. I was fortunate enough to be trained on that system, I was also trained on, what we call number one ESS, electronic switching system. These were the first electronic switch systems to be installed throughout the nation. Along with that I was trained on, ETS electronic translator systems, they would be controlling the T1 carrier systems electronically. Also trained on number four ESS, which is the first electronic digital system. The last system that I was trained on, was number five, ESS, this was a digital fiber optic switching system, still in use today. Instead of talking over a copper wire you were talking over a fiber optic. My education is priceless. You couldn't go to college to learn the stuff it was all classified and proprietary. The later systems number one and then number five ESS, used Unix as their operating system. Prior to that number one ss use the combination of, Fortran and Cobalt, hybrid. Prior to that it was all Electro mechanical crossbar and before that stepper, and before that 100% manual. We would see like on Lassie cranking the phone saying Emma connect me to Mr Smith. That was 100% manual back in those days. I had a total of 36 years service. I calculated all the hours that I spent in communication School through the company, it would be equivalent to about 17 years of regular College. All our schools were six days a week 8 hours a day, months and months at a time, schools were spread out in various parts of the country, also went to various engineering schools, within the company in Oklahoma City, King of Prussia, Minneapolis Minnesota, just the name of you. I lived in New York at that time, on Long Island.
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Columbus ohio, was our National Training Center, I was trained on number one ESS, tsps, number for ESS, and then number five ESS. ESS stands for electronics switching systems, the last one number five is says, is digital fiber optic switching. AT&T or selectric gave me a great opportunity for education, what we learned there in the National Training Center you could not learn in any college or university throughout the world.
Today's date is August 31st 2022. My employment started in, February 1963, so I was forced to retire to to a major back injury, I picked up at 18 lb memory device while working out of hours, I had a total of five spine surgeries, the last one was 18 and 1/2 hours continuous, then an additional five and a half hours of surgery approximately one week later, due to a severe staph infection. I even received my last rights. 7 years in rehab to boot, I'm a very fortunate individual, but thanks to, Western Electric, AT&T, for the benefits that I had and have still.
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International emergency, or even local emergencies, the telephone system has what we called, one load control. A b and c subscribers Class C subscribers are General Public, Class B would be medical police fire department Etc, Class A would be government and Military. Depending on the situation subscribers would be denied service automatically depending on what was going on at the time. I worked in Communications starting in February 1963, for 36 years. My primary interest or number one electronic switching systems, tsps traffic service position systems, that's for telephone operators. Number four ESS, electronic digital switching systems, number 5 SS Digital Electronics switching systems with fiber optics. These were the areas of my expertise. In my opinion the breakup of the Bell System by judge Green in 1984, was one of the worst decisions ever made to affect, our country and our communication system. Today is September 27th 2022.
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@RichardFallstich you hit the nail on the head, I work for West electric starting in February of 1963, so I was forced to retire to do an injury I had at work, back in the mid 80s. AT&T took care of me for sure, my medical bills exceeded three million. I hold the record for the longest spine surgery ever in the United States, 18 and 1/2 hours continuous, then an additional 5 and 1/2 hours due to a severe staph infection in my spine. I was given my last lights thinking that I would no longer live much longer due to the staph infection. AT&T bent over backwards for me, they provided lid yet service from where I eventually move to from New York to Florida, in the Tampa Bay Area they flew me from the Tampa Airport to Gainesville Florida, when I had the surgery the estimate was to be anywhere from 15 to 25 hours, turned out to be 18 and a half hours continuous, then an additional 5 1/2 for the staph infection about a week later. They provided me with Round the Clock 24 hours a day nursing both in the hospital and at home, I was in rehab for seven and a half years. When I was able to emulate after the surgery they provided me with a private limousine that drove me from my house up to the hospital, for medical check-ups they also provided me before I was ambulatory a privately legit, that pulled me from Tampa Airport to Gainesville and port, with medical technicians, both of my ambulance from my house to the airport including my private duty nurse then medical texts on the legion which was a medical major once arrived in, in Gainesville that's where the hospital was ambulance on that side with technicians supplied in the ambulance as well, made a total of 10 trips using The Ledger, at that time I was told to leave yet alone was $10,000 round trip and each ambulance was $700 each times two, this happened 10 times total. AT&T and my common benefits have helped me a long long time. I definitely missed working for West electric than AT&T. I couldn't have asked for a better job. I won't primarily in electronics switching, number one answers, ETS, tsps, number for ESS, number 5 ESS. I spent many years in school, in King of Prussia and Columbus Ohio, also education with CDC Corporation, Engineering in Oklahoma, Chicago Illinois King of Prussia Pennsylvania, Camden New Jersey, Manhattan, all these cities were part of my education I missed a couple sorry Chicago Illinois I said that.
Today's date is August 31st 2022, I was extremely fortunate to be employed, by Western Electric - AT&T. My total employment was, 36 years. Best years of my life.
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