In the recent controversy over wiretaps of suspected terrorists, I found an article in the New York Times describing the outcry over wiretaps. Seems that 350 phones were tapped by police over two years -- back in May 1916 -- 90 years ago. The article said wiretaps started in 1895 -- 110 years ago.
The article dealt with the issues of wiretaps, who paid for them, what they were used for, etc.
Other articles of that time frame dealt with charges that phone rates were too high or too low. Politicians claimed too high, the phone company claimed too low to meet service demands. There were constant valuation studies going on with rate reductions ordered.
In 1916, it appeared the rate was roughly 5c for each local call, plus line rental. That's worth at least $1.00 today, probably more. Some sections could get unlimited residential service.
There was an apartment house rate: "for telephone switchboards of the Monitor type [Monitor was capitalized] which are used extensively in small apartment houses a rate of $132 for a switchboard of two stations and one trunk line for 2,400 local calls per year, yielding about 5.5c a call. There was considerable pressure to drop this particular rate to 5c a call to match other rates. I presume this arrangement was where a tennant used a phone on a pay-as-you-go basis.
The New York Times was filled with articles on telephone rates and complaints about them in 1916.