AT&T's operators a century ago: 24-hour shifts and 36,000 calls a day

More than a century ago, there was no AI or advanced technology to rely on for telecommunications: human operators had to do it. In the case of World War I, these were the Hello Girls – a group of female telephone operators who served as part of the US Army Signal Corps. They were recruited by AT&T and played a crucial role in maintaining military communications for the American Expeditionary Forces in France.

Mar 21, 2025 - 09:16

AT&T's operators a century ago: 24-hour shifts and 36,000 calls a day

More than a century ago, there was no AI or advanced technology to rely on for telecommunications: human operators had to do it. In the case of World War I, these were the Hello Girls – a group of female telephone operators who served as part of the US Army Signal Corps. They were recruited by AT&T and played a crucial role in maintaining military communications for the American Expeditionary Forces in France.