U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for November 18

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18: TOUCH-TONE PHONES

Profile America — Friday, November 18th.  We still use the word "dial" to refer to the act of calling

someone on the phone — even though several generations have not used a rotary phone — or maybe ever seen one, except in the movies.  Push-button, or touch-tone phones made their debut on this date in 1963.  At the time, the service was an extra cost option and was available only in two cities in Pennsylvania.  It didn't take long, however, for the speed of placing calls on the new phones to make them popular.  In 1963, 81 percent of U.S. homes had telephones.  That percentage grew to become almost universal, and now is dropping, as cell phones more and more become the phone of choice.  There are more than 300 million cell phone subscribers in the U.S.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.  

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 563

Historical Statistics of the United States:  Colonial Time to 1970, p. 783

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1149

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau