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4/26/08

Northern Electric Toll Service Desk


Northern Electric's Toll Service Desk was the first cordless console switchboard to replace the cord switchboard. Essentially it was an early version of AT&T's original Toll Service Position but unlike the concept of TSP(S) it was built around being strapped to the local crossbar, making it operate as a stand alone processor of calls. Northern Electric and AT&T were both thinking ahead though to hybrid electronic switches with analog components and later digital switches with large remote and automatic capabilities. The progressive development of these switches led to the ultimate demise of the intervention of a human operator.

This TSD position was located in Coos Bay, Oregon in a small Toll Center. Many of these systems were put into place in the late 60's and early 70's in small Toll Centers to relieve increasing operator toll traffic volume in a cost effective way. These were located in small places like Greenwood, SC, Greenvile, OH and Coos Bay, OR long before full Toll Service Position Systems were installed in Bell System and Indendent phone companies.


photo credit: Ron Briggs