To attain the ideal of universal telephone service, it became increasingly important to extend the long distance lines even farther, to carry on continuous investigation in the practical development of the telephone art, to make further progress toward the standardization of apparatus, equipment and methods and to handle economically and efficiently the many general problems shared by the telephone companies. In 1900, therefore, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company took over the assets of the American Bell Telephone Company and became the headquarters company of the Bell System. [Illustration: _Artist’s conception of the first commercial switchboard, placed in service in New Haven, Conn., 1878. In the early days of the telephone industry, operators were men._] The Future Holds Great Promise [Illustration: Bakelite telephone] Year after year, the Bell System has provided service of steadily increasing value to more and more people. Through times of boom and depression, during all-out war and postwar readjustment, and now in a period of defense preparation, the Bell companies have improved and strengthened the communications network in order to do the best possible job for the nation. Here are some of the accomplishments that have been made in the period since 1920: ■ Fast, accurate dial service has been extended to more than four-fifths of all Bell System telephones. ■ Sturdy cable lines, capable of carrying thousands of conversations, now reach from border to border, and from coast to coast. These transcontinental cable lines are invaluable for maintaining communications in case of a national emergency. ■ A microwave radio relay route, carrying both telephone conversations and television programs, now spans the nation. ■ The regional companies of the Bell System have enlarged their facilities in order to take care of about 160,000,000 telephone conversations per day—more than four times as many as in 1920. ■ Drawing Americans closer together, long distance facilities have been expanded in order to handle more than 2,600,000,000 intercity calls a year, compared to about 270,000,000 in 1920. ■ Radio-telephone provides regular service overseas, to ocean liners, coastal and inland watercraft, motor vehicles, trains and airplanes. [Illustration: _By pressing keys, these operators dial calls directly to telephones in distant places._] Your telephone is more valuable Your telephone is a much better “buy” than ever before. Many more people now have telephones, and local calling areas have been extended. You can call more people and more can reach you. These days, when the cost of nearly everything is higher than ever before, the price of telephone service has remained relatively low. On the average, since the Korean war, the cost of telephone service has gone up much less than the cost of other things you buy.