I should've mentioned that the ad was announcing a big price reduction. If memory serves, overseas calls to Europe were previously $12.00 for three minutes, about $60 in today's money. Around that time technology was growing and they had finished a new high capacity underseas cable (TAT-5?) that enabled the rate reductions. I seem to recall they made a big deal about that particular cable. Anyone know more about underseas cable technology of that era?
They also automated some parts of making the overseas calls. Just as was done implementing domestic direct dialing, their first effort was allowing US overseas operators to dial foreign points directly. Then local operators could do it rather than going to a specialized overseas operator. Finally customers could dial it themselves.
I wonder if they still have special overseas operators for oddball places. They used to say that was the last bastion of traditional cord switchboards for specialities like ship to shore telephone and overseas calls to strange places. Note that back in 1972 when they advertised these new lower rates, there were still many places in the world you couldn't reach.
One frustration over today's system is that I have no idea what a call would cost me. I have national unlimited, but anything else is a toll call. I believe Canada for me is 35c a minute; I have no idea what a a la carte call to England or Japan would be since I never make any. In the old days I would simply ask the operator for the rates, but now with the innumerable calling plans I don't think a long distance operator would know.