In the 50's my grandmother in western mass still had the plug in switch board in her dining room she knew everyones business in town.

In the early 70's on r and r in hong kong we sat for 12 hours in a very large room with phones booths around the walls waiting our turn for a line to the US to call home a usually waking our parents, wife, girl friend up at 0300. Troops today call home in the time it takes light to travel the distance or by logging on. Leaves more time for the important things to a grunt like sleep and beer!