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All-number calling is a telephone numbering system that was introduced in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s.
Until the 1950s, local telephone numbers consisted of an exchange and a 5-digit phone number. A New Yorker's phone number might be CHelsea 4-5034, which another user would dial (once dial service was available—until the 1930s use of panel switch, phone calls had to be manually connected by a switchboard operator) a two-letter code for the exchange followed by the 5-digit number. When the phone company began running out of memorable telephone exchange names, it tried to replace it with "all-number calling."[1] This sparked an intense outcry among urban users, who considered all-numeric calling to be dehumanizing. [2][3]
Opponents created a variety of organizations to oppose all-number calling, including the Anti-Digit Dialing League and the Committee of Ten Million to Oppose All-Number Calling to pressure AT&T to drop the plan.[4]
[edit] References
[edit] See also
 AT&T Archives : Mr. Digit and the Battle of Bubbling Brook See more from the AT&T Archives at techchannel.att.com Mr. Digit explains the change to all-number calling in this 1961 film starring the then-well-known radio and television team, Peg Lynch and Alan Bunce ("Ethel and Albert"). They portray a couple coming home from vacation to find their time-honored telephone number, "Bubbling Brook 3-2468", is being changed to seven numerals. Ethel is, naturally, upset to be losing her identity. Mr. Digit is featured in the animated portion of the film, as the "numbers man" from the telephone company. He explains the new numbering system to Ethel and shows that "we're running out of numbers under our present numbering system." He discusses some expected communications services of the future and the necessity of all-number calling to make improvements in present services as well as those expected to come. Ethel finds the change isn't as radical as she thought, and "she might like it, at that." It's hard to imagine running out of our current 10-digit phone numbers, and the world has been in no danger of this, even with cell service multiplying numbers in great quantities. Currently there are approximately 660 area codes available in North America, with over 300 area codes in use now. There are approximately 5.3 billion potential numbers available, based on the 660 area codes. Produced by UPA Pictures Directed by Robert Larsen Animation by Chuck Couch Footage courtesy of AT&T Archives and History Center, Warren, NJ | |
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