Special Report
The Most Popular Phones of All Time
January 18, 2022 1:00 pm
Source: phonedoc.com
6. Magneto Wall Set
> Manufacturer: Western Electric
> Release year: 1882
The Magneto Wall Set, which would become a popular model in homes for years, combined the powerful Blake transmitter with the hand receiver used in Bell’s wall set.
Source: Courtesy of Planet Retro
7. Telephone Pay Station
> Manufacturer: Gray Telephone Pay Station Company
> Release year: 1889
Within 13 years of introducing the first coin-operated public telephone, 81,000 such phones were installed across the country.
Source: phonedoc.com
8. Common Battery Phone
> Manufacturer: Bell Telephone Company
> Release year: 1900
After a number of improvements to devices used to power the phone, the common battery phone obtained power through the phone line rather than a local battery.
Source: terapeak.com
9. 20B
> Manufacturer: Western Electric
> Release year: 1904
The Western Electric 20B, introduced in 1904, was one of the first “candlestick” desk stand phones.
Source: atcaonline.com
10. 50-A
> Manufacturer: Western Electric
> Release year: 1911
With the invention of the coin return, customers no longer needed exact change to avoid overspending on their long-distance phone calls.
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