It may not seem like it now, but it was big news when Covington first got telephone service where you could dial the number yourself, instead of going through an operator. Today we have push button cellphones, and dial telephones are a thing of the past. But not long ago, rotary dial telephone service was a long-awaited miracle.
A big new building was built to hold all the direct dialing equipment, dial telephones were delivered and installed throughout town, and even a new printed telephone book directory had to be printed up with detailed instructions on how to dial calls yourself.
All this happened in 1963, some sixty-two years ago.
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Text from the above article
Cutover From Flash To Dial To Be Ready After 1 A.M.
Dial telephones in Covington will be ready for use immediately after 1:00 a.m. Sunday, June 2. It marks conversion of the Covington system from the current flash type, where operators are the intermediary, to the ultra-modern dial system that eliminates 0perators for local calls and many long distance calls.
There will be an official 'launching" of the system at the new dial headquarters on Massachusetts and E. Rutland streets at 7:00 p.m. Saturday. Mayor Ernie Menetre will place the first local call from the office to Mrs. Menetre at home.
To pave the way for dial telephoning, a team of 15 Southern Bell workers have distributed booklets to every subscriber in the area explaining use of dial equipment. During the past six weeks these workers have personally called at all homes and offices to present customers with the information booklet. It contains all answers to questions about the new method of telephoning. It's title is "Spin the Dial and Span the Nation".
This week more than 5,800 new dial telephone directories were mailed to phone subscribers. The numbers for exchanges in Covington, Madisonville, Mandeville and Lacombe will be in use after Sunday. The 5,800 directories represent an increase of 600 telephones over October, 1962, when 5,210 books were mailed.
In the entire area. including Covington, Madisonville, Mandeville and Lacombe, there are more than 7,800 phone directories for dial service. Dialing may be used for all local calls and most long distance calls. However, the customer must dial "operator" to place collect or credit card long distance calls, those for the numbers not known.
Operators will be at the new equipment office, completed at cost of $1,500,000.
Customers dialing for information and to report trouble will reach personnel at the new building. To start long distance out of the area, first dial No. 1. This puts the caller into the proper 1,1 channel. Next, dial the area code number, followed by the 7-digit party number.
Within the area, in dialing distance, it is not necessary to the area number.
For 4-party and 8-party lines the procedure on dialing is different. Consult the booklet. Those who did not receive a booklet may get one at the main office in Covington.
End of article
Here's a photo of Mayor Menetre making the first dial telephone call.
A special building on Rutland Street had to be built to handle all the dialing and automatic switching equipment. It was a $1.5 million investment.
Before direct dial service could begin, new phone directories had to be printed up and distributed.
Phone operators in 1952: the way it used to be
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However, it wasn't too much longer after the introduction of dial phones that the "touch tone" phone was announced. The very next year in fact.
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