New Blackberry

[Bedrock Bob]

My step father was a telephone pioneer in New Mexico. He is 86 years old this year and he worked for Mountain Bell for 35 years. He brought me a gift the other day. I thought you might get a kick out of it.

[grubstake]

Looks like the ones we still used when I came home from NAM! Grubstake

[Bedrock Bob]

It is about 1950's vintage. It still works just fine!

[fredmason]

Cool Phone...no body has ever built a better phone than Bell...some monopolies were good...

fred

[Allen in MT]

I remember ours that had a crank to get the operator, our number was 16, many many moons ago.

cool phone

Allen

[Nugget Shooter]

I actually miss those old phones.... Remember when you could leave the house and not hear the phone ring till ya got back?

[highbanker58]

We were on a party line in Alaska 1957, you would pick up the receiver and if someone was on, you hung up and tried later. Dave

[Bedrock Bob]

We were on a party line in Alaska 1957, you would pick up the receiver and if someone was on, you hung up and tried later. Dave

I remember the party line from New Mexico in 1975. Everyone in rural Hidalgo Co. was on one line. That was about 5-6 phone lines outside of the Animas "mega plex". Folks that did not share a line with someone else were considered "upscale". It meant that they did not have to drive 15 miles of dirt road to get to their home.

Folks used to be 3 families to a phone. Now each person has three phones, a beeper, a computer and an ankle monitor.

[highbanker58]

And we thought we were the only kids that were deprived. We only went into town on weekends, it was an hour each way. I remember when I got my first mobil phone,the big box that sat under the car seat, what a treat being able to talk without having to find a pay phone.I think my cost was $350 per month and worth every penny. Dave

[Bedrock Bob]

And we thought we were the only kids that were deprived. We only went into town on weekends, it was an hour each way. I remember when I got my first mobil phone,the big box that sat under the car seat, what a treat being able to talk without having to find a pay phone.I think my cost was $350 per month and worth every penny. Dave

Back in about 1982-83 they came out with the mobile phones in the truck that honked your horn. I was building homes all over the Southwest and got me one of those. Every time I stepped out of the truck and walked onto a site my horn would start honking. I couldn't get anything done and because I had the silly phone people EXPECTED YOU TO ANSWER. I hated it and it was as expensive as hell.

One afternoon I was having a very hard time with a customer. We were in an heated discussion that meant several thousand dollars. The horn kept honking. I did my best to handle the situation but every few seconds I would get another call and the horn kept honking. It was ridiculous. When the ordeal was over I went home and ripped that phone out by the roots and cancelled my service. I hired a nice girl to answer the office phone and keep me organized. It was a giant step in the right direction. I refused to own a cell phone until just recently. Now, with so many buildings across the state to manage I must have one, but I still try not to let it control my life. If I answer the phone each time it rings it DOES control my life, and if I dont then people get all offended that I didn't answer!

[AZBirddog]

I remember back in the 50's being on a 3 party line.That was in Southern Kalifornia. I guess they call those the GOOD OLE DAYS.

Milk was 25 cents a gallon and the Helms truck came by everyday with fresh donuts and bread..

[homefire]

The New Cell Phones have this button that says, ON/OFF! LOL!