Commercial Picturephone Service went into operation in June 1964. The Picturephone is connected to the switching station by three pairs of wires -- one for transmitting and receiving the audio signals, one for transmitting video signals, and the third for receiving video signals.

First Lady "Lady Bird" Johnson makes the first call over the Bell System's Picturephone on June 24, 1964, as she talks from Washington, D.C., to Dr. Elizabeth A. Wood in New York City, New York.

Two engineers of Bell Telephone Laboratories carry on a conversation using the Picturephone system they helped develop. L. H. Meacham is using the hands-free Picturephone while watching A. D. Hall, who is using the handset for the call. (picture from 1967)

Questions or comments about this page?

This page was last updated on May 31, 2017.