Time’s Up For The Time Ladies

The phone number used to be as familiar as our own home numbers. Where I grew up it was 844-1212 and a familiar, soothing voice would say, “At the tone, the time will be…” But as of this week in California, the time ladies are falling silent. Old equipment isn’t worth repairing, the phone companies are eager to turn those reserved exchanges into working phone numbers, and cell phones have replaced the need for dialing to get the current time.

When the time service originated, an actual person read the time live when a call came in – that gave way to recordings in the 40s. But now that equipment is obsolete and the phone companies are electing not to replace it as the service is no longer as popular.

Apparently watch manufacturers are having similar problems marketing to those who have grown up with cell phones – they never developed the habit of wearing a watch except as a fashion statement. The most common reason cited for preferring a cell phone for telling time is that it automatically updates with time zone changes.