See how expensive international long-distance phone calls were back in the ’60s

Vintage 1960s international long distance phone calls

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International long-distance telephone calls for “only” $12 for the first three minutes? And the ad says the cost is “low.”

A handy little inflation calculator says $12 of 1965 dollars would be equivalent to $101.16 in 2021.

International long distance: You can telephone all over the world…

Today, you can reach 182 countries or areas of the world by telephone. It’s the quick, convenient, personal way to keep in touch.

And the cost is low. For only $12, plus tax, for the first three minutes, you can call almost anywhere in the world. The rate for the first overseas call, from New York to London in 1927, was $75.

Whenever you want to keep in touch with anyone — telephone. It’s the next best thing to being there.

International phone calls (1965)

ALSO SEE: Remember calling the phone company for the time? Here’s how POPCORN worked, plus the face behind the voice


Long Distance & international phone calls via ATT/Bell System (1967)

Today you can call 96.8% of the world’s telephones — for business or pleasure. And the cost is low.

Since the first overseas call in 1927, the Bell System, in cooperation with foreign telephone agencies, has pioneered the development of today’s worldwide telephone network. This network consists of radio facilities, undersea cables, and communications satellites.

Whenever you want to keep in touch with anyone — call Long Distance. It’s the next best thing to being there.

ALSO SEE: See the revolutionary Picturephone – an early version of Zoom (yes, you could actually video chat in the 1960s!)

Long Distance & international phone calls - ATT - Bell System (1967)

NOW SEE THIS: Remember that AT&T jingle, ‘Reach out – reach out and touch someone’? Hear it again & find out more

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Comments on this story

3 Responses

  1. I remember it was quite an event to make an overseas telephone call as a child to Europe in the 1960’s ! You had to dial the overseas operator, wait to be connected, (the process took several minutes), and get connected to a land-line in Italy with very poor quality sound. There was static, echoes, and the voice was dull. Not to mention, you had to talk fast because long-distance calls overseas were very expensive and cost prohibitive in those days !That was the old BELL SYSTEM, with rotary-dial,heavy metal black phones and no technology like today. These days, we have cell ubiquitous cell-phones, e-mail, long-distance dialing for pennies a minute on land-lines to virtually any country in the world, etc.

  2. I would take old tec in a second. Too many choices equals no choice. Music, films and books. We lived outside. I was considered fat being constantly 20 pounds overweight back then. Now the US. Army has to set up ‘fat camps’ to try to get future soldiers into reasonable shape to enter boot camp. Yes, give me my ‘50s and ‘60 s back and we can all talk about the movie of the week around the water cooler without staring at our phones like zombies.

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