Err well out in the back of beyond in those cow towns out West there are/were Rural telcos. Often with only one line and many many parties. up to 13. Special 500D phones with a white button and instructions to listen before letting go the white button then dial. Ringing applied Tip to gnd or Ring to gnd and wait for it wait for the ring cycle to complete to identify your very own ringing code. One long one short for him, two shorts for next door, err down the road that is, three shorts for the next guy etc. Oh yes a wee little tinkle of a ring on the oposite line (tip or ring) at the end of the cycle. If the farmers daughter started to chat to the neighbor well all 13 parties were stuck. There was also a reverted call. A process to contact one of the 13 parties on your line. Err gee is that system still active in any part of the world.. Calgary maybe, pas ici au Quebec.
In message "RE: No Parallel Telephone Equipment for Germany?" sent on Jun12, [email protected] writes: >Ach, the German population (and most other Europeans) have a deprived past. If >you >never lived with a party-line, you do not know what entertainment really can be. > >Because we have done away with party-lines, we're now culturally starved and >some of >us even have heard about the spice girls. > > >Ciao, > > >Vic > >
