TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Some Things Never Change: 350 Lines Tapped in NYC Over Two Years

Some Things Never Change: 350 Lines Tapped in NYC Over Two Years

hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
24 Aug 2006 11:15:54 -0700

In the recent controversy over wiretaps of suspected terrorists, I
found an article in the New York Times describing the outcry over
wiretaps. Seems that 350 phones were tapped by police over two
years -- back in May 1916 -- 90 years ago. The article said wiretaps
started in 1895 -- 110 years ago.

The article dealt with the issues of wiretaps, who paid for them, what
they were used for, etc.

Other articles of that time frame dealt with charges that phone rates
were too high or too low. Politicians claimed too high, the phone
company claimed too low to meet service demands. There were constant
valuation studies going on with rate reductions ordered.

In 1916, it appeared the rate was roughly 5c for each local call, plus
line rental. That's worth at least $1.00 today, probably more. Some
sections could get unlimited residential service.

There was an apartment house rate: "for telephone switchboards of the
Monitor type [Monitor was capitalized] which are used extensively in
small apartment houses a rate of $132 for a switchboard of two
stations and one trunk line for 2,400 local calls per year, yielding
about 5.5c a call. There was considerable pressure to drop this
particular rate to 5c a call to match other rates. I presume this
arrangement was where a tennant used a phone on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The New York Times was filled with articles on telephone rates and
complaints about them in 1916.

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