se7enW
Back to Whose
👤 whose

Whose Invention Was the Automatic Telephone Exchange?

technologyhistory

Quick Answer

Almon Brown Strowger patented the automatic telephone exchange in 1891.

The Full Story

Kansas City undertaker Almon Brown Strowger patented the automatic telephone exchange (the Strowger switch) in 1891, motivated by his belief that a telephone operator was routing his business calls to a rival. His invention used a rotary dial to connect calls mechanically, eliminating the need for human operators. The first automatic exchange was installed in La Porte, Indiana, in 1892. The Strowger switch remained the backbone of telephone networks for nearly a century until replaced by digital systems in the 1980s–90s.

Key Facts

1.Strowger was a funeral director with no electrical engineering background.
2.His original patent described a device operated by five buttons.
3.The rotary dial was added later by Strowger's associates.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The Undertaker Who Automated the Telephone — Strowger's Revenge"

Was this answer helpful?

Tap a reaction — it helps us pick what to cover next.