1 of 1- RadioActive
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The Best Non-Radio Related Telecommunications Story Of The Week
Sometimes you come across a story that's so ridiculous, it needs to be noted here. It turns out that in Saskatchewan, they were still legally required to turn out - wait for it - a printed phone book.
Yes, the old white and yellow pages, for those old enough to recall what those are.
It was announced on Wednesday that provincial phone provider SaskTel would no longer have to churn out these giant yearly editions anymore, which should be a big relief. But despite the burden being removed by the CRTC, the telecommunications giant says they will keep printing them anyway.
In other news, SaskTel will soon be retiring its repair service that comes via horse and buggy...
I don't know why, but I love this story. And I used to always check my home number when the books arrived, just to be sure they got it right!
Canada’s telecom regulator says SaskTel can stop printing phone books. For now, they’re continuing
- Shorty Wave
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Re: The Best Non-Radio Related Telecommunications Story Of The Week
Reminds me of the scene in Steve Martin’s “The Jerk” - “the new phone book is here, and I’m in it!”, or something along those lines! I can’t remember the last time I saw a phone book, but they were pretty much essential back in the day.
- RadioActive
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Re: The Best Non-Radio Related Telecommunications Story Of The Week
I remember a time a few years ago when my Internet went down and I really needed to reach a business that was coming to the house. But I didn't have their phone number. Pack rat that I am, I found an old White-and-Yellow Pages directory, the very last one they ever put out in this area, that I saved, and located what I was looking for! Fortunately, the number hadn't changed in all those years!
Remember their old slogan?
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Re: The Best Non-Radio Related Telecommunications Story Of The Week
Only tangentially related, but this story reminded me that a producer for an afternoon radio show on a Buffalo radio station left Entercorpse's employ to take a job with WNY's 'Talking Phone Book'. Shows you how well they paid their backbone staffers. 🤨
- mace
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Re: The Best Non-Radio Related Telecommunications Story Of The Week
The first British telephone directory was published Jan 15, 1880. It contained the the names and addresses of 248 individuals. In 1938, AT&T began research on a typeface small enough but still readable on newsprint, which no doubt lead to the introduction of the first North American phone book. I couldn't find any information on when Bell Canada ceased publication of phone books. RA:How old is the one you have?
- RadioActive
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Re: The Best Non-Radio Related Telecommunications Story Of The Week
I have a white pages from 2015 and a Yellow pages from 2011. And then there's one that combines both into one. It's from 2016.
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