In the 1960s, once most phone subscribers had direct long-distance dialing, a single type of operator began to serve both the local and long-distance functions. A customer might call to request a collect call, a call billed to a third number, or a person-to-person call. All toll calls from coin phones required operator assistance. The operator was also available to help complete a local or long-distance number which did not complete. For example, if a customer encountered a reorder tone (a fast busy signal), it could indicate "all circuits busy," or a problem in the destination exchange. The operator might be able to use a different routing to complete the call. If the operator could not get through by dialing the number, she could call the inward operator in the destination city, and ask her to try the number, or to test a line to see if it was busy or out of order.
in the 1960s once most phone subscribers had direct long-distance dialing a single type of operator began to serve both the local and long-distance functions a customer might call to request a collect call a call billed to a third number or a person-to-person call all toll calls from coin phones required operator assistance the operator was also available to help complete a local or long-distance number which did not complete for example if a customer encountered a reorder tone (a fast busy signal) it could indicate "all circuits busy" or a problem in the destination exchange the operator might be able to use a different routing to complete the call if the operator could not get through by dialing the number she could call the inward operator in the destination city and ask her to try the number or to test a line to see if it was busy or out of order