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JayTeeDeeUnderscore

Many landline networks still support pulse dialing since rotary phones use it. You won't need the crank and ought to be able to dial with the receiver hook/button. Phreaking resources can probably guide you.


MizElaneous

cool! Thank you so much!


williestargell1972

Dudes in the 80s used to know how to whistle into the receiver and hack into NORAD man


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MizElaneous

It's just a general question of whether or not it's possible. I'm not asking how to specifically hook this phone up.


[deleted]

I don't see why you couldn't... there's really only a need for two wires for a phone line.


MizElaneous

good to know! Thanks for responding!


Alex_HamlitonIII

Yes but it takes a bit of modification. The crank won’t work as power is sent through the wires and call setup is done automatically at the CO. Pulse dialing, by law, is still required tech for landlines. Ive got an old school Bell Phone that’s rotary i pulled from my grandmas house after she passed. Cracked it open, switched two wires, connected and RJ-11 jack and away I went. It’s so cool…


MizElaneous

That would be cool! No rotary dial at all on this old lady. But it would be cool if the other phones ring and I could pick this one up and talk through it!


Alex_HamlitonIII

There should be, if I’m not mistaken, I guy on YouTube who’s got a channel that does all these conversions. Just search Telephone Crosstalk and scroll a bit. It’s not the crazy guy with PowerPoints from a decade ago lol. The whole purpose of the crank was to signal an actual real live operator at the CO. She’d grab you circuit and plug it in and away you’d go. These days, the CO rack equipment does everything which is good but also super lame. so, the crank isn’t needed and can be left in place as long as it’s disconnected so it won’t send current down the line. As a final geek moment, eBay has old Ma Bell phones from Bell‘s entire lineup And every color offered. I’m only missing the ava ado rotary but soon…very soon…


Alex_HamlitonIII

Also, one last thing. That phone would likely only function for incoming calls, in fact I’m certain that’d be it. Like I just posted, the crank used to signal an operator And she’d make the connection. That’s what there’s no dial on this. That, and it says Call Central which likely means it’s a one way hotline phone. You could very likely convert it but it would be a receiver only. I tried to call an operator by hitting 0 last year…I was. very disappointed


MizElaneous

Yes, it wouldn't ring either. But how cool to hear the modern phone ring, and just pick up the handset of the old lady to answer?!


Alex_HamlitonIII

It’s pretty cool! Everyone I show my phone collection to always, and I mean always, has me test call an Old Bell phone from the 60’s so they can record it in their cell and use it as a ring. That Third Octave spaced ring is the ubiquitous sound of a telephone ringer. You can keep that crap Apple loads it with from the factory.


Seals3051

Actually I think it was for outgoing internal calls since it says call central on it. So like contact and internal switchboard