[comp.dcom.telecom] Re: Fwd: Telephone Exchange Names [telecom]

I came across this article in Wikipedia: hope it's of interest.

> > During the early years of telephone service, communities that required > more than 10,000 telephone numbers, whether dial service was available > or not, utilized exchange names to distinguish identical numerics for > different customers. > > When dial service was introduced (typically during the period of 1910 to > 1970), in such multiple exchange communities, customers would normally > dial the first two or three letters of the exchange name, followed by > the numeric digits. > > >
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This was a common practice in the Kansas City area for exchanges along the Kansas-Missouri border.

Some I remember were:

(Missouri office codes listed first with the Kansas side second):

From the HIghland C.O. (CLLI=KSCYMO02)

DElmar 333 and FEderal 334 (Panel) HIland 444 and GIlbert 442 (Panel) JAckson 523 and LAclede 522 (Panel) EMerson 363 and ENdicott 362 (1XB)

From the WEstport 1XB C.O. (CLLI=KSCYMO05)

JEfferson 531 and KEndall LOgan 561 and JOhnson 562 PLaza 753 and SKyline 752 WEstport 931 and YEllowstone 932

Both the WEstport and HIland buildings served some Kansas customers, mainly in the Johnson County suburbs. The names were different to keep billing separate (different tariffs, taxing, etc.). Long before 9-1-1 so get that out of your mind.

Later on (c. 1960s) the HEdrick C.O. (CLLI=KSCYKSJO) took over the Kansas customers, whose numbers changed to HEdrick 2, RAndolph 2, COlfax 2 and ADams 6 (using one originating 1XB marker group with 8 OMs, but two terminating marker groups with 6 TMs each).

Around 1967, a second marker group, ENdicott 2 and TErrace 1 (5XB) was added. Then around 1974 an ESS with 677, 676, 588, and some FX from the DRexel CO. Around 1979 it was upgraded to a 1A-ESS, and took over both the

1XB and 5XB load, and now is a huge DMS, with a lot more NNX codes.

The lucky people who had an ENdicott number from the EMerson 1XB switch in HIghland got to keep it. The TErrace "B" exchange was actually the name of this 5XB office, which basically took over the DRexel C.O. (CLLI=KSCYKS10) subscribers in the Argentine area of Kansas City, KS, which was between a hillside and the Kaw (Kansas) River. Hence the name "TErrace."

Some of the HIghland C.O. Kansas subscribers were absorbed by the DUpont C.O. (CLLI-KSCYKSNA), which housed three 5XB Marker Groups: DUpont 1 and MItchell 9 (mostly all wire spring 5XB), NIagra 2 and NIagra 8 (old flat spring 5XB), and a new wire spring 383 5XB which never was called DUpont

  1. Further west adjoining HEdrick's area was the Shawnee, KS 5XB office (CLLI-KSCYKSSH), containing MElrose 1 and FRanklin 5. The MElrose numbers were assigned to subscribers in Johnson County, KS, and the FRanklin numbers were for subscribers in Wyandotte County, KS. Again, for tariff separation purposes.

The names of the central offices were used by the "inside" craftsmen. You worked at HEdrick, DRexel, DUpont, HIghland, WEstport, etc.

The outside plant workers (cable splicers, cable repair, linemen, etc.) usually referred to the offices by their address. For instance DRexel was "901 North Tenth" and HEdrick was "7400 Johnson Drive."

The CLLI codes for Kansas exchanges mostly used KSCYKSxx for Kansas City, Kansas, then the street the C.O. was on. Even for C.O.s in the adjoining cities in Johnson County.

KSCYKS10 DRexel C.O. at 901 N. 10th St. KC, KS.

KSCYKSPA SUnset C.O. at 64th and Parallel. KC, KS.

KSCYKSJO HEdrick C.O. at 7400 Johnson Dr. in Overland Park, KS.

KSCYKSNA DUpont C.O. at 9444 Nall in Overland Park, KS.

Exceptions were for Shawnee (KSCYLSSH), Lenexa (KSCYKSLE), Bonner Springs (KSCYKSBS), and Basehor (KSCYKSBN which meant "Bonner North").

In Missouri, the CLLI codes were assigned a numerical value, which had little rhyme or reason to their age or size. I remember the following:

KSCYMO01 is the Benton C.O. at 1123 Cleveland Ave., KCMO.

KSCYMO02 is the Highland C.O. at 6213 Holmes, KCMO.

KSCYMO03 was the old ~28-story VIctor building at 324 East 11th St. in downtown KCMO. It contained six floors of VIctor 2-GRand 1 and BAltimore

1-HArrison 1, two 1XB originating marker groups but which terminated individually due to the heavier daytime traffic. Other floors in the building housed an XBT, a government SXS (816-275), a government 5XB (816-374), etc.

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All of the Victor building lines were cut to a new 1A ESS around 1980, in a newly built office called McGee, located at 1102 McGee, KCMO. It was across the street from the old Victor building, a splicers dream, and has a CLLI of KSCYMO55. It has a DMS100 now, and serves around 57 NNX codes, and a ton of cellular and other telco companies.

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KSCYMO04 is the Wabash CO at 3901 Montgall Ave., KCMO

KSCYMO05 is the Westport CO at 107 E. 39th St., KCMO.

KSCYMO09 is the AT&T (formerly LongLines) building at 1425 Oak, KCMO.

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The numbering then goes up to the KSCYMO2n series for outer tier metro COs, then more at KSCYMO4n for further out suburbs.

Reply to
John F. Morse
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