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( NOTE: New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere and the numbers on their telephone dials run in the opposite direction from telephone dials in the Northern Hemisphere. )
Vintage Telephone Recordings from New Zealand
These recordings were contributed by New Zealand telephone historian Ian Lay. The “endless-loop” magnetic tape cartridges were recently discovered in a storage cupboard inside of one of Telecom N.Z.s old NEC NEAX 61K exchanges. Ian was able to rescue the tapes and preserve the vintage announcements by making digital copies of them. Thank you, Ian!
New Zealand – Call Diversion Announcement
New Zealand – Overloading Announcement Recording
New Zealand – “Hawera” Switchboard Emergency Number Announcement
This tape was played to callers on the odd occasion when the Hawera switch board had been evacuated for some reason.
Here are 3 versions of the old Reminder Service tape. The Post Office version was in use prior to the privatisation of the New Zealand Post Office in approx 1986. It was replaced by the female voice Telecom version which was in turn replaced by male Telecom version.
New Zealand Telecom Reminder Call Announcement – Male Version
New Zealand Telecom Reminder Call Announcement – Female Version
New Zealand Post Office Reminder Call Announcement – Pre 1986 Version
New Zealand Post Office “Do-Not-Disturb” Recording
New Zealand Telecom “Do-Not-Disturb” Recording
New Zealand – AN7L Taranaki 1993 “Changed Number” Recording
Scenes from inside a mysterious New Zealand telephone exchange:
