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A: New Haven, Connecticut, United States

The First Regular Telephone Exchange is Established in New Haven, Connecticut

1/1878
Building in which the New Haven District Telephone office and first telephone exchange were located in New Haven, Connecticut, in the store front with the awning.
Image Source: www.connecticutmag.com
Building in which the New Haven District Telephone office and first telephone exchange were located in New Haven, Connecticut, in the store front with the awning.

In January 1878 the first regular telephone exchange was set up in New Haven, Connecticut.

"The switchboard was built from 'carriage bolts, handles from teapot lids and bustle wire' and could handle two simultaneous conversations" (Wikipedia article on telephone exchange, accessed 04-22-2009).

Prior to this the first experimental telephone exchange was based on the ideas of Puskás, and it was built by the Bell Telephone Company in Boston in 1877

Timeline Themes

Telecommunications
Telephone / Videotelephony