"[[US]] telephone ownership rose from less than 50,000 in 1880 to 1.35 million by 1900 (one phone for every 56 Americans); calling distances expanded gradually (a call from [[New York]] to [[Chicago]] could be made only in 1892); the first transcontinental calls to [[San Francisco]] (via multiple exchanges) came in 1915; and a three-minute conversation cost about $20, or more than $500 in 2020 monies. The first intercontinental call—from the [[US]] to the [[UK]]—came only in 1927, and even the monopolized domestic service remained relatively expensive for the next two generations." ([Location 2232](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08SGC3TD3&location=2232)) --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]] [[telephones]] **Source** -- [[202412030828 - B - How the World Really Works]]