Back Telefonista Catalan Telefonistinde Danish Telefonist German Telefonisto Esperanto Telefonista Spanish Telefonista Basque Demoiselle du téléphone French Operator telepon ID 交換手 Japanese 전화교환원 Korean
In the early days of telephony, companies used manual telephone switchboards, and switchboard operators connected calls by inserting a pair of phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. They were gradually phased out and replaced by automated systems, first those allowing direct dialing within a local area, then for long-distance and international direct dialing.