Compatibility With Manual Offices
Panel was installed in cities where many people still had manual (non-dial) service. Calls from panel offices to manual offices required PCI signals to tell the "B Board Machine Incoming" operator or incoming operator the phone number. The number appeared on a lit display (or indicator). The operator completed the call in the usual way.
Calls from manual offices to panel offices required the "A board" or outgoing operator to request the number from the caller, connect to an idle trunk to the distant exchange and relay to the "B Board Manual Incoming Call" operator the desired number. The "B Board Manual Incoming Call" operator would then key in the desired number. The Panel machine would then setup the incoming and final frames to the called telephone number.
Read more about this topic: Panel Switch
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