Electrophone .28London.2C U.K..29 Telephone newspaper

hospitalized british soldiers, joined toy elephant mascot (center), enjoying electrophone service (1917)

the electrophone, established in london in 1895, similar in operation paris théâtrophone. company worked closely national telephone company, , later british post office, took on national telephone system in 1912. service s main focus live theatre , music hall shows, plus, on sundays, church services. on few special occasions, shared programs théâtrophone, employing telephone line crossed english channel. listeners ranged hospital patients queen victoria.

for locations such restaurants, coin-operated receivers installed provided few minutes of live entertainment sixpenny. home subscribers accessed electrophone programming through regular telephone lines, calling operator connection 1 of multiple of program offering. because tied-up subscriber s line, incoming calls not received while listening electrophone, although operators instructed break-in in case of emergency. rare home had 2 telephone lines use 1 receive electrophone service, , other call operators change selection.

the electrophone ceased operations in 1925, unable compete radio. during thirty years, service had few hundred subscribers, although 1923 number had risen 2,000.