How to Use a Rotary Dial Phone / Telephone

Today we are used to phones where we press screens or touch buttons. But some years ago rotary dial phones were used. The number had to be dialled using a rotary dial. Today, many younger people can be baffled by these rotary dial phones. Older people were brought up being shown how to use a rotary dial phone, but not so with many younger people. There were many sorts of rotary dial telephone, but all used the same basic principle. First you had to lift the phone receiver, and then place a finger in the hole for the number required. Then rotate the dial round to the end-stop, and let the dial return under its own power. The process was repeated for each individual digit in the telephone number. Once the number was dialled the exchange would connect the number and the call would take place using the telephone. When the call was finished the handset receiver was replaced. There are many different types of rotary dial phone. The old candlestick telephones were widely used in the early 1900s and these gave way to slightly more modern ones. These modern rotary dial phones looked a little more stylish, and could be supplied in a variety of colours - older dial phones were almost alway black, although there were a few exceptions. The rotary dial mechanisms were quite complicated, but worked very reliably. They created a series of pulses which were interpreted by the telephone exchange and enabled the right number to be connected. These pulses needed to be sent out at the right speed by the dial. Knowing how to use a rotary dial telephone phone can still be useful because they can still be found in in use in some places and knowing how to use a rotary dial phone can be useful if a call needs to be made with one. The phones used in this video were an old candlestick phone, a 300 series GPO telephone (Type 332 phone to be exact) and a cream GPO Type 746 telephone. More details about the history of technology and telephones can be found at: Associated website: Please subscribe to our YouTube channel: