Date Posted
Today Customer Information Services, formerly Operator Services closes it's doors in Connecticut.  Another page turned and more job losses here in Connecticut.  In 1998 the SNET TIMES special addition announces that SNET's future looks bright, with a picture of Dan Miglio, President of SNET   and Ed Whitacre, CEO of SBC shaking hands announcing a $4.4 billion transaction that will "combine companies" promising a bright future for us in Connecticut.   According the the archives at the Thomas Dodd research center at UConn, The District Telephone Company of New Haven was incorporated in 1878 had the World's first directory, and the Worlds first private Toll line from Blackrock to Bridgeport. We also had the first telephone booth and coin-box telephone.  In 1879 Marjorie Gray was hired in Bridgeport as  Connecticut's first women operator.   That was then, this is now. Instead of the 1,400 new SNET jobs pledged to Connecticut at the time of the merger, these jobs have been siphoned to other states and outside the country, far from the bright future we envisioned(New Haven Register, 1998).  Ahhh yes, SBC lured Connecticut with cash and promises.  An additional factor contributing to the loss of operators was the charging for the directory assistance calls.   As predicted, the charging of calls would eliminate the jobs.  Now AT&T East no longer has coin telephones and no longer has telephone operators.  We say good bye to those dedicated operators today, and wish them a bright future.  We are sorry to see you all leave, but know that you will not be forgotten.  The Grand Finale by Janet McKenzie 2/6/14 Customer Information Specialist
File Attachment
Attachment Size
Today Customer Information Services, formerly Operator Services closes it's doors in Connecticut.  Another page turned and more job losses here in Connecticut.  In 1998 the SNET TIMES special addition announces that SNET's future looks bright, with a picture of Dan Miglio, President of SNET   and Ed Whitacre, CEO of SBC shaking hands announcing a $4.4 billion transaction that will "combine companies" promising a bright future for us in Connecticut.   According the the archives at the Thomas Dodd research center at UConn, The District Telephone Company of New Haven was incorporated in 1878 had the World's first directory, and the Worlds first private Toll line from Blackrock to Bridgeport. We also had the first telephone booth and coin-box telephone.  In 1879 Marjorie Gray was hired in Bridgeport as  Connecticut's first women operator.   That was then, this is now. Instead of the 1,400 new SNET jobs pledged to Connecticut at the time of the merger, these jobs have been siphoned to other states and outside the country, far from the bright future we envisioned(New Haven Register, 1998).  Ahhh yes, SBC lured Connecticut with cash and promises.  An additional factor contributing to the loss of operators was the charging for the directory assistance calls.   As predicted, the charging of calls would eliminate the jobs.  Now AT&T East no longer has coin telephones and no longer has telephone operators.  We say good bye to those dedicated operators today, and wish them a bright future.  We are sorry to see you all leave, but know that you will not be forgotten.  The Grand Finale by Janet McKenzie 2/6/14 Customer Information Specialist55.71 KB 55.71 KB