Telephony
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Telephony History

Of course, the telephone played an important role in communication in Miami.

First, here are two excellent web sites about the history of the Telephone.  It includes many technical details, like what dial tone USED to sound like.

http://www.navyrelics.com/tribute/bellsys/index.htm

http://www.navyrelics.com/tribute/index.htm

AT&T Longline History

If you're in the business, and have some corrections, or better yet, some material to add to these pages, please e-mail me.

Franklin CO

Now, a bit about the local history of Telephony in Miami...

Here's a building your might recognize in Downtown Miami.  36 NW Second Street.   I think it used to be known as the "Franklin" Central Office (CO).   When the BellSystem was owned by AT&T, both existed in this building.   Bell moved out to the "Grande" CO.   This building is now the Point of Presence (POP) for many companies, such as Cable and Wireless.

 

Here are the antennas on the roof.   On the left are some of the few remaining "cornucopia" style microwave dishes, 4-6 GHz.  These used to link long distance switches before the days of fiber.   The tower on the right is 2-way radio, maybe from the days of the first mobile telephones and pagers.   

 

Here's the entrance.   CO's used to have a great sense of style.  

 

This is the building across the street that's connected by a bridge across Second Street.  I think this was an expansion of the CO.   It's now the New World School of the Arts.

 

A view of both buildings

07/15/2003

    © South Florida FM Association, 2003   
   

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