The Carterfone is a device invented by Thomas Carter. It connects a two-way radio system to the telephone system, allowing someone on the radio to talk to someone on the phone. This makes it a direct predecessor to today's autopatch. The connection is acoustic -- sound travels through the air between the Carterfone and a conventional telephone that is part of the telephone system.
An original 1959 Carterfone made by Carter Electronics, on display at the Computer History Museum
The reason the Carterfone connected the telephone and radio acoustically, instead of electrically, is that telephone network owners were legally allowed to and did bar devices they did not own from being connected electrically to their networks.
The Carterfone decision (13 F.C.C.2d 420) was a landmarkUnited Statesregulatory decision that opened the public switched telephone network (PSTN) in America to customer-premises equipment (CPE). Twelve years earlier, a court had ruled in the Hush-A-Phone case that devices could mechanically connect to the telephone system (such as a rubber cup attached to a phone-company-owned telephone) without the permission of AT&T. In 1968, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) extended this privilege by allowing the Carterfone and other devices to be connected electrically to the AT&T network, as long as they did not cause harm to the system.
The device was acoustically, but not electrically, connected to the public switched telephone network.[1] It was electrically connected to the base station of the mobile radio system, and got its power from the base station.[1]: 659 All electrical parts were encased in bakelite, an early plastic.
When someone on a two-way radio wished to speak to someone on phone, or "landline" (e.g., "Central dispatch, patch me through to McGarrett"), the station operator at the base would dial the telephone number. When callers on the radio and on the telephone were both in contact with the base station operator, the handset of the operator's telephone was placed on a cradle built into the Carterfone device. A voice-operated switch in the Carterfone automatically switched on the radio transmitter when the telephone caller was speaking; when they stopped speaking, the radio returned to a receiving condition. A separate speaker was attached to the Carterfone to allow the base station operator to monitor the conversation, adjust the voice volume, and hang up their telephone when the conversation had ended.[2]
Landmark regulatory decisionedit
This particular device was involved in a landmarkUnited Statesregulatory decision related to telecommunications. Twelve years earlier, a court had ruled in the Hush-A-Phone case that devices could mechanically connect to the telephone system (such as a rubber cup attached to a phone-company-owned telephone) without the permission of AT&T. In 1968, the Federal Communications Commission extended this privilege by allowing the Carterfone and other devices to be connected electrically to the AT&T network, as long as they did not cause harm to the system. This ruling, commonly called "the Carterfone decision" (13 F.C.C.2d 420), created the possibility of selling devices that could connect to the phone system using a protective coupler and opened the market to customer-premises equipment. The decision is often referred to as "any lawful device", allowing later innovations like answering machines, fax machines, and modems (which initially used the same type of manual acoustic coupler as the Carterfone) to proliferate.
In February 2007, a petition for rulemaking was filed with the FCC by Skype, requesting the FCC to apply the Carterfone regulations to the wireless industry—which would mean that OEMs, portals and others will be able to offer wireless devices and services without the cellular operators needing to approve the handsets. However, on April 1, 2008, FCC chairman Kevin Martin indicated that he would oppose Skype's request.[3] On April 17, 2015, this petition for rulemaking was dismissed without prejudice by the FCC at the request of Skype's current owner, Microsoft Corporation.[4]
^McCullagh D (November 11, 2008). "Democratic win could herald wireless Net neutrality" 2013-11-11 at the Wayback Machine. CNET. Accessed June 1, 2010.
Full text of Skype petition 2016-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
Cybertelecom :: Customer Premises Equipment - FCC Regulations concerning attachment and marketing of CPE
Timeline from NPR
ArsTechnica: Any lawful device - 40 years after the Carterfone decision (includes picture of the Carterfone)
March 14, 2024
carterfone, device, invented, thomas, carter, connects, radio, system, telephone, system, allowing, someone, radio, talk, someone, phone, this, makes, direct, predecessor, today, autopatch, connection, acoustic, sound, travels, through, between, conventional, . The Carterfone is a device invented by Thomas Carter It connects a two way radio system to the telephone system allowing someone on the radio to talk to someone on the phone This makes it a direct predecessor to today s autopatch The connection is acoustic sound travels through the air between the Carterfone and a conventional telephone that is part of the telephone system An original 1959 Carterfone made by Carter Electronics on display at the Computer History MuseumThe reason the Carterfone connected the telephone and radio acoustically instead of electrically is that telephone network owners were legally allowed to and did bar devices they did not own from being connected electrically to their networks The Carterfone decision 13 F C C 2d 420 was a landmark United States regulatory decision that opened the public switched telephone network PSTN in America to customer premises equipment CPE Twelve years earlier a court had ruled in the Hush A Phone case that devices could mechanically connect to the telephone system such as a rubber cup attached to a phone company owned telephone without the permission of AT amp T In 1968 the Federal Communications Commission FCC extended this privilege by allowing the Carterfone and other devices to be connected electrically to the AT amp T network as long as they did not cause harm to the system Contents 1 Description 2 Landmark regulatory decision 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription editThe device was acoustically but not electrically connected to the public switched telephone network 1 It was electrically connected to the base station of the mobile radio system and got its power from the base station 1 659 All electrical parts were encased in bakelite an early plastic When someone on a two way radio wished to speak to someone on phone or landline e g Central dispatch patch me through to McGarrett the station operator at the base would dial the telephone number When callers on the radio and on the telephone were both in contact with the base station operator the handset of the operator s telephone was placed on a cradle built into the Carterfone device A voice operated switch in the Carterfone automatically switched on the radio transmitter when the telephone caller was speaking when they stopped speaking the radio returned to a receiving condition A separate speaker was attached to the Carterfone to allow the base station operator to monitor the conversation adjust the voice volume and hang up their telephone when the conversation had ended 2 Landmark regulatory decision editThis particular device was involved in a landmark United States regulatory decision related to telecommunications Twelve years earlier a court had ruled in the Hush A Phone case that devices could mechanically connect to the telephone system such as a rubber cup attached to a phone company owned telephone without the permission of AT amp T In 1968 the Federal Communications Commission extended this privilege by allowing the Carterfone and other devices to be connected electrically to the AT amp T network as long as they did not cause harm to the system This ruling commonly called the Carterfone decision 13 F C C 2d 420 created the possibility of selling devices that could connect to the phone system using a protective coupler and opened the market to customer premises equipment The decision is often referred to as any lawful device allowing later innovations like answering machines fax machines and modems which initially used the same type of manual acoustic coupler as the Carterfone to proliferate In February 2007 a petition for rulemaking was filed with the FCC by Skype requesting the FCC to apply the Carterfone regulations to the wireless industry which would mean that OEMs portals and others will be able to offer wireless devices and services without the cellular operators needing to approve the handsets However on April 1 2008 FCC chairman Kevin Martin indicated that he would oppose Skype s request 3 On April 17 2015 this petition for rulemaking was dismissed without prejudice by the FCC at the request of Skype s current owner Microsoft Corporation 4 See also editAutopatch Acoustic coupler Hush a Phone v United States Interconnection Modem Cordless telephone Terminal equipment Telephone Radio Citizens band radioReferences edit a b Johnson Nicholas 2008 Carterfone My Story digitalcommons law scu edu Santa Clara University School of Law Retrieved 2015 02 03 In the Matter of USE OF THE CARTERFONE DEVICE IN MESSAGE TOLL TELEPHONE SERVICE In the Matter of THOMAS F CARTER AND CARTER ELECTRONICS CORP DALLAS TEX COMPLAINANTS v AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CO ASSOCIATED BELL SYSTEM COMPANIES SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE CO AND GENERAL TELEPHONE CO OF THE SOUTHWEST DEFENDANTS Federal Communications Commission 2008 Archived from the original on 2015 01 20 Retrieved 2015 02 03 McCullagh D November 11 2008 Democratic win could herald wireless Net neutrality Archived 2013 11 11 at the Wayback Machine CNET Accessed June 1 2010 FCC orderExternal links editFull text of FCC Carterfone decision Full text of Skype petition Archived 2016 12 20 at the Wayback Machine Cybertelecom Customer Premises Equipment FCC Regulations concerning attachment and marketing of CPE Timeline from NPR ArsTechnica Any lawful device 40 years after the Carterfone decision includes picture of the Carterfone Carterfone My Story by Nicholas Johnson FCC Commissioner 1966 73 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carterfone amp oldid 1185680023, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
