I will be forever grateful for the countless ways "the real AT&T" enriched my life. My career there was some of the happiest days of my working career. When SBC bought them, it all went south and it hasn't stopped spiraling yet.
I started in 1964, did it for over 22 years. Liked the cordbords, hated TSPS where you couldn't control the calls, they dropped in to the headset automatically. No time to interact with the customers. Glad to see these films.
I worked in the old Bell System, very strict work place but the company took care of it's employees. I ended up working in 7 different dept. I finally got promoted and became a tech. I was assigned to an old timer with 30 years experience who trained me. I still miss the people I used to work with.
@@bobcole612 I did a lot of things worked outside in the field..inside central offices and customer switch rooms. Also spent time as a tester on both 2-W & 4-W.
My first job! It was great. These headsets, cordboard, tickets, pencils, everything was all exactly like this. I could tell you stories, but I won't-lol. Great memories.
Thank you for these videos! I am a history buff and my husband worked in telecommunications. My dad's long-time friend worked for Pacific Telephone and his wife at one time was an operator. So, I am sure they would enjoy seeing these as well.
By regulation, all local and long distance phone service still has to provide operator access, plus directory assistance for local. What happens is that there's only a few large companies which provide operator service anymore, Verizon and AT&T (SBC) still do. They sell the service out to everybody else. When you call them, their computer flashes the company name and other info they need to answer the call.
I know Sprint had real operators in around 2009. Called one for directory assistance. They offered to connect me at no charge. After looking at the fine print on the contract I could do that 3 times per month free, then a charge of $2.00 thereafter. Thought that was cool!
@Joe Battiloro. I'm not American but I'll accept the good wishes and bid you adieu with the same respect you showed me. I'll agree to disagree with your opinion in favor of my own but I appreciate this exchange not devolving into petty insults.
@Joe Battiloro. I'm not fond of the leadership in my home country either. Politics have become to polarized and there is no middle ground anymore. Thank you for your courtesy and I wish you all the best. Enjoy your election season, stay safe and be well friend.
@Joe Battiloro Is Your Whole Life Devoted to Trump? From A Look At Your Channel You Seem To Mention Him On Every One Of Your Comments. I Find It Funny That You Think One Man With Little Power Can Fix This Country's Problems. But Thats Beside The Point. This Has Nothing To Do With Politics So Please Dont Bring It Up On A Video That Has Nothing To Do With It. Thank You, Have A Blessed Day!
In the 1980s I used to just go to the pay phone and call my family collect. Some of the operators were so rude they would constantly hang up. There was a time when the operator could just cut in on a call and announced themselves that there is someone trying to call the number. I used to love playing on the telephone and talk into the mail operators. It was crazy. Anyone here use the telephone anymore. Is there an operator anymore. I don't think so
I remember that. We used to call and have them check if there was a conversation or if the line was off the hook when it was busy no call waiting. Crazy to think about now.
i remember as kids, i use to just sit and dial randomized phone numbers, those that arent active, and would sit and listen to the intercept codes lol. my favorite still today is, we're sorry, but the number you have dialed, cannot be completed as dialed, please check the number, and try your call again, "sit tones" we're sorry, bnut the number you have dialed, cannot be completed as dialed, please check the number, and try your call again "sit tyones" lol
Thumbs up if you want to whack! that ATT recording, 'So, tell us what the nature of your call is. Say things like, 'I'd like to pay my bill', or 'I'd like to start my service'... so go ahead. '' OPERATOR! ''First we need to know the nature of your call. So go ahead...''
Back then you had a real person on the phone now everything is so automated by computers even for other tasks that is what they want you the end user to not be able to reach a real person.
Out of curiosity, I dialed the number that's at the start of this video. It's someone's personal number (no longer a pay phone). I wonder if he gets other calls from here.
Given the era this was filmed, it must have been one of the first smoke-free workplaces. Probably their hands were too busy or the engineers didn't want their equipment gummed up.
@@richardconte381in Bakersfield CA at Pioneer Village Museum we have cardboard, TSPS and computer terminal on display. I was with PacBell in 1976 then transitioned to AT&T in 1981 .
I guess, but since 911 has been engrained into our minds, I doubt many people dial 0 for an emergency call. If an operator did get such a call, they'll just connect them to the 911 emergency service for their location.
You would like supervisors getting real time data about your work performance and telling you not to come in next week without pay if you performed within 2-4% below the operator center average. How about not being allowed to go to the bathroom? If it were an emergency you had to wear a dunce cap which the supervisor would see and determine if you could go. it took an hour. Also, supervisors are not there to help. They're job is to treat you like a robot to get more out of you.
yes it was a strict workplace, I was offered operator and turned it down and went to the mail room instead and later went on to become a tech.I remember getting yelled at for being 30 seconds late to work.
I think if you dial "0" from a landline you'll get somebody, somewhere, but whereas there were many offices with many employees, once automation came in there were less offices with still a lot of employees, and now who needs an operator at all? So maybe the operator could be in another state as far as you know.....
@@steves9283 There was no time to mingle or even get acquainted while working. I usually averaged 18 to 19 seconds per call, back to back through the whole shift.
I will be forever grateful for the countless ways "the real AT&T" enriched my life. My career there was some of the happiest days of my working career. When SBC bought them, it all went south and it hasn't stopped spiraling yet.
Oh! I love how AT&T uploaded a lot of their old films! That's so cool!
I started in 1964, did it for over 22 years. Liked the cordbords, hated TSPS where you couldn't control the calls, they dropped in to the headset automatically. No time to interact with the customers. Glad to see these films.
I worked in the old Bell System, very strict work place but the company took care of it's employees. I ended up working in 7 different dept. I finally got promoted and became a tech.
I was assigned to an old timer with 30 years experience who trained me. I still miss the people I used to work with.
I'm an outside tech now. Us tip & ring phone men are the last of a dying breed.
@@bobcole612 I did a lot of things worked outside in the field..inside central offices and customer switch rooms. Also spent time as a tester on both 2-W & 4-W.
My first job! It was great. These headsets, cordboard, tickets, pencils, everything was all exactly like this. I could tell you stories, but I won't-lol. Great memories.
Jane Ohlsson How did y’all know which hole to put the cords into? Looks very confusing.
Thank you for these videos! I am a history buff and my husband worked in telecommunications. My dad's long-time friend worked for Pacific Telephone and his wife at one time was an operator. So, I am sure they would enjoy seeing these as well.
By regulation, all local and long distance phone service still has to provide operator access, plus directory assistance for local. What happens is that there's only a few large companies which provide operator service anymore, Verizon and AT&T (SBC) still do. They sell the service out to everybody else. When you call them, their computer flashes the company name and other info they need to answer the call.
I know Sprint had real operators in around 2009. Called one for directory assistance. They offered to connect me at no charge. After looking at the fine print on the contract I could do that 3 times per month free, then a charge of $2.00 thereafter. Thought that was cool!
A close family friend had this job. Its what got me interested in working for the telepone company.
I'm 28, but I remember calling an operator when I was a kid. Didn't happen after the cell phone became big, though.
Prank calling the operator always fun
Do your remember back when the average person could have a career in something?
Not just jobs or gigs with little in the way of benefits or a pension.
Joe Battiloro and how will that change after 2020? Is he going to bring back all those jobs and pension and manufacturing? He hasn’t yet.
@Joe Battiloro. How can anyone get your point when no one can hear you? Worst case scenario 4 more years then "HE" is nothing but a bad memory.
@Joe Battiloro. I'm not American but I'll accept the good wishes and bid you adieu with the same respect you showed me. I'll agree to disagree with your opinion in favor of my own but I appreciate this exchange not devolving into petty insults.
@Joe Battiloro. I'm not fond of the leadership in my home country either. Politics have become to polarized and there is no middle ground anymore. Thank you for your courtesy and I wish you all the best. Enjoy your election season, stay safe and be well friend.
@Joe Battiloro Is Your Whole Life Devoted to Trump? From A Look At Your Channel You Seem To Mention Him On Every One Of Your Comments. I Find It Funny That You Think One Man With Little Power Can Fix This Country's Problems. But Thats Beside The Point. This Has Nothing To Do With Politics So Please Dont Bring It Up On A Video That Has Nothing To Do With It. Thank You, Have A Blessed Day!
My first job after high-school...what bad memories this brings back :)
Oh Julie.....do tell... I hope you married rich.
Great intro and outro tracks
In the 1980s I used to just go to the pay phone and call my family collect. Some of the operators were so rude they would constantly hang up. There was a time when the operator could just cut in on a call and announced themselves that there is someone trying to call the number. I used to love playing on the telephone and talk into the mail operators. It was crazy. Anyone here use the telephone anymore. Is there an operator anymore. I don't think so
I remember that. We used to call and have them check if there was a conversation or if the line was off the hook when it was busy no call waiting. Crazy to think about now.
i remember as kids, i use to just sit and dial randomized phone numbers, those that arent active, and would sit and listen to the intercept codes lol. my favorite still today is, we're sorry, but the number you have dialed, cannot be completed as dialed, please check the number, and try your call again, "sit tones" we're sorry, bnut the number you have dialed, cannot be completed as dialed, please check the number, and try your call again "sit tyones" lol
Thumbs up if you want to whack! that ATT recording, 'So, tell us what the nature of your
call is. Say things like, 'I'd like to pay my bill', or 'I'd like to start my service'... so go
ahead. ''
OPERATOR!
''First we need to know the nature of your call. So go ahead...''
My son can't decide between this or typewriter repair man as an enduring career.
Neither. I suggest a career as a pin setter. That should carry him through until retirement.
I was at Pittsburgh AT&T IOC for 10 years. I miss that job.
There are. Just no cell phone companies have operator services. Dial 0 from a landline, and you'll get an operator. :)
Back then you had a real person on the phone now everything is so automated by computers even for other tasks that is what they want you the end user to not be able to reach a real person.
Out of curiosity, I dialed the number that's at the start of this video. It's someone's personal number (no longer a pay phone). I wonder if he gets other calls from here.
Of Course ! Pay phones used to be 9XXX.
@@bruceobama8588 Some were 8XXX, in larger metropolitan areas they ran out of 9XXX. Most inter company numbers were 99XX.
I give you 100 thumbs up for that!
Given the era this was filmed, it must have been one of the first smoke-free workplaces. Probably their hands were too busy or the engineers didn't want their equipment gummed up.
Plus there wasn't room for an ashtray on those positions.
That was me. :) The TSPS Operator. But I learned to work one of those toll boards too.
@@richardconte381in Bakersfield CA at Pioneer Village Museum we have cardboard, TSPS and computer terminal on display. I was with PacBell in 1976 then transitioned to AT&T in 1981 .
An old video showing a cordboard office that still wasn't replaced by a TSPS office. How many operators are now left? Two?
Thousands are left.
On a regular POTS landline (and even on most cable lines) You can dial 0 and get a real (American) operator.
This would be working WAY too close to other people all day!
Yes it was horrendous and noisy.
314 isn't that far, that's the area code on my payphone ☺️
Do telephone operators still recieve some emergency calls on ocasion? It kinda makes sense when you think about it. One number. 0.
I guess, but since 911 has been engrained into our minds, I doubt many people dial 0 for an emergency call. If an operator did get such a call, they'll just connect them to the 911 emergency service for their location.
My grandma showed me this video she worked at at&t for about 20 years
I think people hear very well I have such unusual hearings
love the music
You would like supervisors getting real time data about your work performance and telling you not to come in next week without pay if you performed within 2-4% below the operator center average. How about not being allowed to go to the bathroom? If it were an emergency you had to wear a dunce cap which the supervisor would see and determine if you could go. it took an hour. Also, supervisors are not there to help. They're job is to treat you like a robot to get more out of you.
yes it was a strict workplace, I was offered operator and turned it down and went to the mail room instead and later went on to become a tech.I remember getting yelled at for being 30 seconds late to work.
Sit down jobs. all slender. it's the food, I tell ya!
Could be... but nobody got off work and sat in front of their computer all the time either, lol
There was an occasional case of "operator spread" though.......
Well, According To Historical Records, The Average Person Ate Around 3000 More Callories In 1960 That We Do Today. Just My 2 Cents, Have A Nice Day!
What's funny is that now you can dial 0 on your cell phone and get nothing. There are no more operators.
Was this a film for high school kids?
In 74 I was 6 years old. I never worked for AT&T.
Does AT&T still have operators?
I think if you dial "0" from a landline you'll get somebody, somewhere, but whereas there were many offices with many employees, once automation came in there were less offices with still a lot of employees, and now who needs an operator at all? So maybe the operator could be in another state as far as you know.....
I think I would have enjoyed this job.
Don’t call bagel
Careers? What's that?
Computers took their jobs. A.I. will finish the rest of the industry off.
Then the calls got “outsourced” and I can’t understand a damn thing the other person is saying!!
That male operator sounds like Levar Burton.
You're right! He would've been 17 years old, at the time frame of this video.
La del minuto 2:53 , es 100 /% muerta. Por vieja.
Looks like a great job for a guy to pick up girls at.
It wasn't.
@@steves9283 There was no time to mingle or even get acquainted while working. I usually averaged 18 to 19 seconds per call, back to back through the whole shift.
@@kookiekreature I can't remember how long I spent on calls. That was 50 years ago.