Why call it a "key" system?
Perhaps because a line button on a multi-line phone opened and closed a circuit, it was called a "key."
Or maybe it was called a key because pressing it reminded someone of pressing a piano key or a telegraph key.
At any rate, multi-line phones became known as "key phones," and the relays and wires and other stuff they got connected to was called a "key telephone system," or "KTS" in Bell System lingo.
Or maybe it was called a key because pressing it reminded someone of pressing a piano key or a telegraph key.
At any rate, multi-line phones became known as "key phones," and the relays and wires and other stuff they got connected to was called a "key telephone system," or "KTS" in Bell System lingo.
- Repairs
- Rare & Special
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- frequent questions
- doing business
with us - customer comments
- why our phones
are better - How'd we get new old phones?
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- phones with
ringing lights - our book store
- desk/table phones
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- accessories
- fix, update, clean
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- weird phone gallery
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- 1A2 phones & parts
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- Ancient telecom terminology
- Phone bottom markings
- "mechanical hold"
(not quite 1A2) - Same model number, different phone
- Why call it a "key" system?
