Plain old telephone service

In today’s digital age, we’ve come to depend heavily on smartphones and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services like Skype or Zoom. These technologies have revolutionized the way we communicate with each other, offering us an unprecedented level of connectivity and convenience.

But let’s take a moment to remember a simpler time, when communication was slow and cumbersome, but still managed to keep us connected to our loved ones and the world around us. Yes, we’re talking about plain old telephone service (POTS), the ubiquitous, copper-wire-based system that was prevalent throughout most of the 20th century.

Before the advent of POTS, private telegraph and teletype devices were the closest thing to a “real-time” personal communication service. However, telephone service became more widespread when the first POTS lines were installed in the late 1800s. By the 1920s, POTS had become the standard communication system for homes and businesses throughout the US.

POTS was a relatively simple system that relied on analog signals transmitted over copper wires. With POTS, you could make and receive calls by rotating a dial to a specific number or by pushing the buttons of a touch-tone keypad. The signal would then travel through a network of copper wires, switching centers, and other equipment before reaching its intended recipient.

Of course, POTS had its limitations. With analog signals, voice quality was often poor, and long-distance calls were expensive. Many people also had to deal with busy signals during peak hours, which was especially frustrating before the advent of call waiting.

But despite these limitations, POTS had a certain charm that’s difficult to deny. There was something comforting about the sound of a familiar voice crackling through the receiver, even if the connection wasn’t perfect.

In the days before answering machines, a missed call would mean a phone that simply rang until someone picked up. If you weren’t home, the caller would have to keep trying until they caught you. In some ways, this was a simpler time, with no voicemail to check, no texting to do, and no instant gratification.

POTS also played a crucial role in shaping the culture of the US, connecting people across the vast expanse of the country. Before POTS, long distance communication required letters, telegraphs, and other time-consuming methods. With the advent of this system, people were able to call friends and family members in different parts of the country in real-time.

But as with all things, change was inevitable. By the late 20th century, new digital technologies were beginning to supplant POTS. Fiber-optic cables, wireless signals, and VoIP systems soon became the norm, offering better voice quality, more features, and lower costs.

In 2020, many of us can’t imagine going back to the days of POTS. We’ve become accustomed to the convenience of smartphones, text messaging, and social media. But as we reflect on the simplicity and reliability of POTS, we can appreciate how it shaped our world and paved the way for the modern communication systems we take for granted.

At a time when so much of our lives revolves around technology and the internet, it’s comforting to remember a time when we were all a little more disconnected, yet still managed to stay close to the people who mattered most.