The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-14
THE TELEPHONE DOOR
STUDY OF TRAFFIC. IN EXCHANGES
AND FOR INDIVIDUALS.
The Busy Periods and How an Over
Prompt Answers a Necessity.

OIL CCuStdHI Vaiue IN determining the CHAR
acter and extent of the plant which will
best transmit them; and, second, that a
like knowledge of the calls of the individual
telephone subscriber is of great value to
him in determining what is necessary for
his telephone service.
In an earlier paper, "A Phase of Tele-
phone Engineering" I have endeavored TO
show some of the results found in the rec
ords made in various telephone exchanges
OF the calls received and handled during a
business day. In these records the rise
and fall of business transactions in the
various cities during the hours of the day
and night are clearly indicated in the curve
OF originating telephone calls, the busiest
point being found at about 10 o'clock in the
morning, falling away to the minimum,
winch is reached at about 3 a. m.
me large telephone exchanges show in
a general way parallel lines of telephone
traffic, rising quickly to a maximum after
8 O'Clock in the morning, falling away at
| noon to a day minimum at 1890 p. M, ris-
ing again in a broad afternoon sweep to a
maximum at about 3 O'Clock, and quickly
dropping after 4 or 5 o'clock has passed.
Some interesting comparisons may be
made by examining the records of the tele-
phone exchanges in Chicago, New York,
Boston. St. Louis and in a few other cities.
In all of these exchanges the business
NAaos tdo diNdlC Oy III l61CDuOnG
| calls, is about one hour shorter than the
business afternoon. This is especially true
period during which business matters. as
represented by telephone calls, fall away
at lunch hour is shown in an interesting
manner. A number of the records of the
New York exchange seem to Indicate that
there the lunch period is about two hours
long; in Chicago about one hour, and in
Boston and st. Louis, in some instances.
less than half an hour. The records Of
Snlcago snow relatively a very much
larger nuIQDer or telephone tranSacftonC
during an afternoon than those Of any
4 this lo exeha bnge aftarn 1t is probably due to
ave fo1snd use se of OF the telephone in Chicago
latest records Of this exchange shows 40 81 t bae
eiorm a sa 1a Saa which happened to be
by the subscribers during the day. meaning
mat double that number or 3O7,61' people,
t thnsed IN nve one the hour te5 islSoo es,,s during mang tia that
mated. Out of the above total S3,0O7 were
npaRkea . from tn1a, one as %, ssxSSah1ange to another.
the telephone operators in Chicago during
that day. On the following Monday, the
nour and q half longer than on Saturday.
ere so5al by no % d no would have been in
ever, was made on the Monday in question.
INDIVIDUAL TRAFFIC.
The record made of the traffic of various
exchanges has led, during the past year. to
another record which has been of interest.
more especially to the users of telephones.
This is a traffic record of the subscribers
telephone, showing just how many tines
it is used each day on outward calls and on
inward calls, and how many times the line
has been called for by others and found
busy, showing also whether the busy, calls
were on account of the fact that the tele-
phone was being used for outgoing or in
coming business. In the Chicago exchange
the records of about 5000 lines have been
l KEPT In this manner The lines which vUprn
known to be used to the greatest extent
were first made of record, and the showing
interesting and instructive. In one case a
firm of packers having six lines connected
found to use the telephone 802 times in
each day. 1t was found also that this firm
lines were busy. The matter of this tele-
phone traffic was taken up with the people
and it was found that frequently ali Of their
telephones, or nearly all of them. were en-
gagged by their own men ne c., at
It was shown that the tele-
phone lines represented business en-
frances or doors for business to the firms
office, just as much. in a way. as the act
ual doors leading from the street or hall
people procured an entrance through their
telephone doors-if L may use that term
than in any other way. 1t was then shown
that If these telephones were blocked by
the outgoing work of the FIRMS employees,
it was naturally impossible for anyone de-
HI " w 81 " Z III a. thO oAfS tAAAAS.
In a way, it was as if, in a large retail
store. at the time it was opened for bust
given to the shipping departments to
ship the goods out of the front doors. filling
is evident, would Immediately p~aralyze the
retail business, because no one desiring to
trade trade. WITH he the 1su arm an fou1G gals sne spm a. srol
ceeding would naturally drive away the
custom and very much interfere with the
ing Illustrated, it was arranged with the
firm OF packers that they should not al
phones simultaneously, but endeavor. in
every way, to leave at least one line open
their offices. This simple arrangement,
which was merely an appreciation by the
subscriber of what the telephones really
traffic. The 5000 and more calls were ham
died as before; ard the number of busy or
record of the traffic shown and illustrated
in this manner, without the addition of
about a cooperation and better use OF
existing facilities by the subscriber, resulted
not only in great benefit to him, but in the
convenience of his customers. In other
cases it was found that where a single tele-
a day the busy and unavailing calls for the
line were very largely caused by the habit
Der of calls consecutively, and in that way
blocking, during a period often of one hour
made for his line. People who wanted tc
talk with the subscriber were knocking al
his telephone door, finding it busy agair
and again, and finally, in undoubtedly very
many instances, gave it up entirely or took
their business to some one else. Tn door
meanwhi had been blocked by the volun'
tarv action of the subscriber himself, JUS
as much as if he had locked the door or en-
trance to his place of business and refused
admission to all parties.
DUTIES OF SUBSCRIBERS.
This record of telephone traffic upon the
subscribers line is showing clearly every
Eday that the final completion of a tele
phone call depends not wholly upon thu
telephone company or its agents, but yer,
largely, and in many cases, almost wholly
upon the intelligent use of the telephone
by the subscriber.
In looking at the telephone as a door O.
entrance for business, which it certainly is
the user must understand that if his bust
ness is extensive in volume it can no NOR
! enter by one door or one telephone, which
!, is limited in the extent to which it can b
I used, then it is possible for an extenslv
trade represented by customers to enter b.
I one narrow door. There must be door
) enough and there must be telephone
enough and people enough employed I
r handle the telephones to accommodate tn
hucipesS and the trade which enter i'm tina