Historical phone question

[Deleted User]

We used to have a shared phone line with next door - until 6 years ago when the line was replaced with individual lines
How did this actually work - because we had individual numbers and couldn't listen into each others calls...... It couldn't have been multiplexed since that would have required a modem at each end 
The only reason that it was modernised was that a high lorry brought down the line to the pole!! 

[Deleted User]

You sure 6 years? That was party line and thought it went out with the ark.

It was (70 and early 80's) down to not enough pairs of wire to the cabinet from the exchange that feed that block of houses. They would use one wire for a house and knock and earth spike in at the customer premises for the other leg.

Though I am not up on recent years stuff for line shortages. (edit. Just had a shifty, seems there were more modern options for line shortages but the early stuff you could hear conversations on).

Grey_Critic

****but the early stuff you could hear conversations on).*** And very interesting some were

[Deleted User]

half_empty said:

You sure 6 years? That was party line and thought it went out with the ark.

It was (70 and early 80's) down to not enough pairs of wire to the cabinet from the exchange that feed that block of houses. They would use one wire for a house and knock and earth spike in at the customer premises for lthe other leg.

Though I am not up on recent years stuff for line shortages. (edit. Just had a shifty, seems there were more modern options for line shortages but the early stuff you could hear conversations on).

Yes 6 years ago and it was not a party line
It used a single twisted pair of wires
I am just wondering how it worked 

jamesd

A normal phone line has two pairs of wires in the cable. That allows two phones or phone and fax or whatever for one place. They may have split one of those too give two lines, each using two wires.

Jenni_D

When my parents were young their parents had a party line at one time ... and yes, you could listen in on the other party's calls.  

The system somehow knew which line to ring when a call was made (to either of the 2 numbers), but if one line was on a call the other couldn't make or receive a call until the other line had finished.

[Deleted User]

Deleted_User said:

half_empty said:

You sure 6 years? That was party line and thought it went out with the ark.

It was (70 and early 80's) down to not enough pairs of wire to the cabinet from the exchange that feed that block of houses. They would use one wire for a house and knock and earth spike in at the customer premises for lthe other leg.

Though I am not up on recent years stuff for line shortages. (edit. Just had a shifty, seems there were more modern options for line shortages but the early stuff you could hear conversations on).

Yes 6 years ago and it was not a party line
It used a single twisted pair of wires
I am just wondering how it worked 

Surprised me it was still a thing up to recently.

Like I said, not up on recent stuff but the premise looks the same after a quick look around the net though newer tech and better than the original party line system, something to fix the same issue though, shortage of pairs from the exchange to the cabinet and a neat solution to get you a phone line and one you did not have to lift receiver, listen then press the button to take the line.
Looks like a multiplex system between the exchange and somewhere close to the customer. That will put 2 lines up a single pair for example to the cabinet/pole/house. As far as I see it without digging deeper and someone will correct me.

Langtang

My word, party lines. Better than some of the telly back in the day.

cx6

Shared Service - Telephones UK

[Deleted User]

I used to be limited to 40kbps dial up Internet due to this 
So can you imagine going from 40kbps to 80Mbps fibre in one step
That's what I did 6 years ago!! 

J_B

DACS?

tencharacters