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As technology continues its relentless march forward, I like to look back and remember some things about daily life. One thing that played a central role in nearly every household no longer holds the importance it used to have, the touch-tone phone.
These days, basically any landline connection might be considered a vintage phone. But touch-tone phones hold a special place in my heart, and I can almost feel it still pressed against my shoulder and cheek as I lean against the wall next to the receiver!
Touch-Tone Phones: Physical Buttons and Designs
With today’s touchscreen smartphones, the physical buttons and unique designs of vintage phones are no more. But in many ways, I prefer the physical buttons. Plus, I had some memorable phones.
Dial Faster
There’s just no doubt about it, I could dial a touch-tone phone faster than Clint Eastwood could draw his revolver. And you didn’t even have to look at the phone. I can remember picking it up and dialing faster than I ever could today.
Make Music
I’m not so musically inclined. But I have heard some pretty incredible music from touch-tone phones back in the day. I remember the Bell Telephone Company making music from touch-tone phones in a television commercial.
It was also simply amazing what touch tone could do compared to rotary. You could dial in credit cards, go through automated systems, and so much more. We take it for granted today, but these vintage phones still sing their music all around us.
Customized Designs
If there’s one thing I loved about touch-tone phones, it was the customized shapes and designs. I remember one popular phone made of clear plastic. The internal parts featured bright, vivid colors, and it was just about the coolest phone around, especially for the younger ones.
But my all-time favorite vintage phone has to be the Sports Illustrated football-shaped phone. It had a textured rubber coating that made it feel like you could throw it a mile if it wasn’t for the cord attached to the wall.
Wired Phone and Receiver
Speaking of wires, can you believe that phones used to be attached to the wall? Now the only time I see wired phones is in an office setting. But back in the day, it was always the case. And you had to think creatively to deal with it.
Watch Cord Length
The longer your phone cord, the more you could move around the house. It wasn’t an issue if your phone was next to a comfortable chair, but for the kitchen phones used while cooking or cleaning up, you needed a long cord to walk around. Otherwise, you were trapped.
And no matter how hard you tried, you just had to twirl your finger around the phone cord. The coil design acted like a spring, so it was normal to hold onto it. But threading your finger through it as you zoned out while talking on the phone was dreamy.
Carry Receiver Around
Another thing I remember from the days of touch-tone vintage phones is carrying the receiver. The phones that sat flat on desks sometimes had a lot of extra cord from the receiver to the wall, and that was like a secret key to walking around even more!
But then the receiver would get heavy, and so would the phone itself. You’d have to constantly switch hands, use your shoulder to pinch the phone up to your ear, and use other highly-refined techniques to talk for hours.
Mounts on Walls
Sometimes the phones were mounted on the wall, which wasn’t nearly as much fun. I remember taking one down while visiting a friend to find out they didn’t have any extra cord behind the mount. I felt so bad for them.
It was a joy to walk around and have the freedom to venture into another room. Once again, something we take for granted today.
Landline Calling
I know what you’re saying, and it’s true. Landlines are still around. But they just aren’t what they used to be.
Back in the day, it was the only way to get in touch. And it had so many fun results that we don’t have today. It was great while it lasted, and I wish some younger people could experience the joy of dealing with landline calls.
Talking With Household
Some people might hate this part, but I love chatting with other people. When you called a landline, it was usually one number for the entire house. If a family member or roommate picked up, you’d have no choice but to say hi.
It was great and gave you a chance to talk to the spouse you rarely see, the child you have aged many years or just got back from a big game, and in general, be more in tune with the lives around the person you wanted to call.
No Caller ID
This feature about touch-tone phones could go either way. Today, not having a caller ID would likely lead to an unfathomable amount of talking to spam callers. And that did happen back in the day, but it was usually a harmless salesperson.
And for some reason, they’d always know to call right when you and your family sat down for dinner. Without fail, if the phone rang during dinner and we picked up, it would be a nonsense sales call. How annoying that was.
But in other ways, not having caller ID was a fun surprise. You’d never know who to expect, and it could be a long-lost friend from years back.
Hanging Up
If there’s one thing I miss more than anything about vintage phones, it’s the ability to hang up with style. Most often, it would just mean walking back to where the phone cradle is and putting it back, perhaps untangling the cord you twisted around your finger for the last 30 minutes.
But in certain times, especially in the rare case when you need to let some frustration out, there was nothing more relieving than slamming a phone down onto the receiver. It was a power move that filled your soul with relief. And smartphones can’t replicate it.
Remembering Vintage Touch-Tone Phones of the Past: Wrap Up
I’ll admit, today’s phones are amazing. They let you roam freely, have one number for each person, and give you loads of information and abilities touch tone phones could only dream of.
But still, there’s something special about vintage phones and the time everyone spent with them. I’ll miss being able to accidentally catch up with other people the most. Well, if I’m being honest, perhaps slamming down the phone to hang up with authority was my favorite!
