Telephone
The transmission of the human voice became possible with the invention of the telephone. Patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, it developed rapidly with the first telephone networks arriving in the late 1870s and the 1880s. Telephone exchange networks enabling large numbers of users to communicate, were developed in the 1890s. The telephone was mainly used for personal and local communications while the Telegraph continued to be used for long distance communications, due to lower costs and more established infrastructure.
Wall Telephone
Date: c1912
Title: Ericsson phone – wall mount type
Description: Hand held telephone of the candlestick type complete with both listening piece and bell box.
Early telephones had a battery inside a wooden box , a crank for a small generator and a mouthpiece and earpiece. Initially the mouthpiece and earpiece were separate and later a single handpiece with both was adopted. A caller would crank the generator in order to make a flap for their line number drop at the local exchange switchboard. The switchboard operator would then plug an answer lead into that line number so they could ask the caller which number they were wanting to call.
Telephone Switchboard
Date: c1897
Title: Telephone Switchboard
Description: This is the first telephone switchboard in Waikanae. It was installed in 1897. It could service up to ten lines and provided service to the then small community for 20 years eventually being replaced in 1917.
Automatic telephone exchange
Date: c1938
Title: Telephone Exchange
Description: Main elements involved in switching a telephone call in a “Step by step” telephone exchange.
The first step-by-step telephone exchange in New Zealand was commissioned in 1891 in Wellington. This marked a significant advancement in the country's telecommunications, allowing for more efficient and automated connections between callers.
The last step-by-step telephone exchange in New Zealand was replaced in 1995. This marked the end of an era for this technology, as the country transitioned to more modern digital systems.
Dial Telephone
Date: c1940
Title: Desk Telephone
Description: Black bakelite dial telephone. On the dial it has "Auckland 61—752"
In New Zealand, the introduction of dial telephones began in the late 1950s and continued through to the 1960s and 1970s. The telephone dial causes a series of pulses on the phone line corresponding with the number being dialled. In the “Step by Step” exchange it is these pulses that trigger the switches in the exchange to connect the call.
Film: How the advent of widespread telecommunications changed New Zealand life.
The following video is a 1953 film produced by the National Film Unit on the telephone network. It describes how the telephone changed New Zealand life and the processes involved behind making a phone call.
How did it work?
Manual connection of a phone call
Prior to automatic telephone exchanges all calls had to be manually connected by a switchboard operator. The steps below describe how such calls were connected.
- The person wanting to make a call would crank the generator handle of their phone.
- This would cause a numbered flap on the telephone exchange switchboard to drop.
- The operator plugs an ‘answer’ lead into the line number indicated by the fallen flap.
- They ask for the line number that the the caller wants to talk to and then pug a ‘call’ lead into that line number.
- The calling party is asked to crank their generator again and this makes the bells on the called party phone ring thus alerting them of an incoming call.
- On hearing the phone the called party picks up their telephone receiver and the conversation between both parties can then proceed.
