AT&T Declares The End of Time

and other misleading titles...

Thursday, August 30, 2007 by Zoomba | Discussion: WinCustomize News

This news story goes out to the older generation here at WinCustomize who will actually remember the Time service provided by AT&T.  You see, once upon a time you could pick up your phone, dial a number and be told the time of day where you were.  A seemingly silly thing in this day and age of cell phones, digital watches and other devices that automatically sync their clocks to some far off server.  The service, which has been in operation since the 1920s only remains in operation in two states: California and Nevada.

On September 19th, the service will shutdown in California.  Nevada's service will only last as long as the aging technology, now without much possibility of repair, starts to fail.

I remember a similar service when I was younger that would give you the time, temperature and weather forecast on a continuous loop.  While the service is pretty useless now, I'm still a little sad to see it go.

11 Reply 12 Referrals
ZubaZ
Reply #1 Thursday, August 30, 2007 11:09 AM
I remember a similar service when I was younger that would give you the time, temperature and weather forecast on a continuous loop
I used to use that service for two reasons . .
  1. Weather info is important . . and this was before the Weather Channel or the web
  2. If my sisters were more than a minute late for some event I was allowed to leave them behind  

StumpMan
Reply #2 Thursday, August 30, 2007 11:46 AM
I remember dialing that number too, when I was younger. That was the only alternative (other thatn sticking your head out the window).

The phone had a big rotary dialer (the older ones will remember those). I also remember our home phone was portable. That meant the cord on the phone was one of those 30 foot deals that would stretch down the hallway. LOL

Of course, growing up in the rural south, I still remember dialing 5 digits and reaching someone in town (and this was in the late 80s). x-xxxx would reach anyone.


Ok I'm finished with my whole "when I was your age" speech.

nicksick
Reply #3 Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:20 PM


The phone had a big rotary dialer (the older ones will remember those).


http://www.geekologie.com/2007/08/rotary_cell_phone_is_awesome.php

freezejeans
Reply #4 Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:35 PM
Man do I feel old now...used to love calling the number as a kid and setting my watch to it. Confounded internets! Kind of sad, to be sure.

Sea Hourse
Reply #5 Thursday, August 30, 2007 11:04 PM
Anyone here remember what the number was that you dialed? P-O-P-C-O-R-N

starkers
Reply #6 Friday, August 31, 2007 1:48 AM
At the third stroke it will be goodbye from AT&T time...go buy your own watch/clock.

Cindersis
Reply #7 Friday, August 31, 2007 1:55 AM
yep I remember that service. I went out and bought a reproduction of the old rotary phone last year. Yes it is black. I love using my pencil to dial the numbers.

MIKE031489
Reply #8 Friday, August 31, 2007 3:08 AM
Well.....I am only 18, but i used 8531212 ALL the time growing up. In fact i still use it to set my watch Guess that will change. lol....

anyway....you don't have to be that old to have used it.

SimulatedComa
Reply #9 Saturday, September 1, 2007 8:17 PM
"At the third stroke the time sponsored by accurist will be...." still going strong here in the UK   

kmccoy
Reply #10 Monday, September 3, 2007 11:29 AM
I often call the NIST's telephone broadcast of WWV's time service at (303) 499-7111. If I have a few different times being presented to me, and I'm not sure which one is actually accurate, this serves as a good way to check. There's information about it at http://tf.nist.gov/stations/sig.html

cplair
Reply #11 Monday, September 3, 2007 11:49 AM
      

853-1212 was the number here in California!

Guess I'll call it a few more times before it goes away on the 19th.

Nostalgic reasons.

Sign of the times folks!

Cp


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