Development of the Telephone System - Revision history

Gcook: /* Compiled by */

2026-04-20T14:43:20Z

Compiled by

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	==Privatization of Manitoba Telephone System==		==Privatization of Manitoba Telephone System==
	Manitoba Telephone System was privatized in 1996, Videon Cable Television was sold to Shaw in 2001 and the Manitoba Telephone System was renamed Manitoba Telecom Services in 2004. Finally, in 2017, almost 100 years after selling its Manitoba Operations, Bell returned to Manitoba to purchase Manitoba Telecom once again.		Manitoba Telephone System was privatized in 1996, Videon Cable Television was sold to Shaw in 2001 and the Manitoba Telephone System was renamed Manitoba Telecom Services in 2004. Finally, in 2017, almost 100 years after selling its Manitoba Operations, Bell returned to Manitoba to purchase Manitoba Telecom once again.

			==Further Reading==
			Check out the Manitoba Historical Society Historic Sites of Manitoba posting: Garry Telephone Exchange Building (474 Hargrave Street, Winnipeg). https://mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/garrytelephone.shtml

	==Compiled by==		==Compiled by==

Gcook: /* Manitoba Telephone System */

2026-04-20T14:38:37Z

Manitoba Telephone System

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	In the 1920s, the fortunes of MGT roared like the rest of the world and by 1929 the deficit accumulated during the early years had been eliminated. The company was renamed the Manitoba Telephone System (MTS) although the Manitoba Government Telephones name can still be seen today on some older buildings.		In the 1920s, the fortunes of MGT roared like the rest of the world and by 1929 the deficit accumulated during the early years had been eliminated. The company was renamed the Manitoba Telephone System (MTS) although the Manitoba Government Telephones name can still be seen today on some older buildings.

	~~Insert photo of old~~ Manitoba ~~Telephones Building~~		Check out the Garry Telephone Exchange Building photos on the Manitoba Historical Society website at https://mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/garrytelephone.shtml

	However, October 1929 brought that boom to an end with the stock market crash. Also, at the end of October 1929, MTS was dealing with the effects of a massive ice storm that had brought down thousands of poles. The future seemed particularly bleak.		However, October 1929 brought that boom to an end with the stock market crash. Also, at the end of October 1929, MTS was dealing with the effects of a massive ice storm that had brought down thousands of poles. The future seemed particularly bleak.

Gcook: /* Posted by */

2026-03-08T19:47:13Z

Posted by

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	Glen N. Cook, PEng (SM), FEC		Glen N. Cook, PEng (SM), FEC

	If you wish to contribute more information about ~~his career and involvement with Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba please~~ contact the webmaster at APEGM.heritage@gmail.com		If you wish to contribute more information about this article contact the webmaster at APEGM.heritage@gmail.com

Gcook: /* Wireless Communications Era */

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Wireless Communications Era

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	There were several changes in Manitoba that came out of the breakup of the North American telephone monopoly. Many smaller companies also appeared to take advantage of new regulations allowing new companies to enter both the fixed wire-line business as well as cellular, long-distance and data transport. Other traditional telephone companies such as Bell and Telus also entered the Manitoba market hoping to make inroads into the former monopoly territory.		There were several changes in Manitoba that came out of the breakup of the North American telephone monopoly. Many smaller companies also appeared to take advantage of new regulations allowing new companies to enter both the fixed wire-line business as well as cellular, long-distance and data transport. Other traditional telephone companies such as Bell and Telus also entered the Manitoba market hoping to make inroads into the former monopoly territory.
	MTS went through several changes in the 1980s and ’90s as the telecommunications regulatory landscape was evolving from the original wire-based telephone company to a much more diverse communications company.		MTS went through several changes in the 1980s and ’90s as the telecommunications regulatory landscape was evolving from the original wire-based telephone company to a much more diverse communications company.

			[[File:MotorolaDynaTac first commercially available handheld cellular phone 1983 ish Alan Pollard Collection.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Motorola DynaTac first commercially available handheld cellular phone 1983 ish, Alan Pollard Collection.jpg]]

	==Privatization of Manitoba Telephone System==		==Privatization of Manitoba Telephone System==

Gcook: /* Wireless Communications Era */

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Wireless Communications Era

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	The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.		The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.

	~~https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/~~File:~~Motorola_Carphone_Model_TLD~~-1100,~~_1964~~,~~_view_1_~~-~~_National_Electronics_Museum_~~-~~_DSC00184~~.JPG\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum
			[[File:Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, view 1 - National Electronics Museum - DSC00184.JPG\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum]]

	These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.		These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.

Gcook: /* Wireless Communications Era */

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Wireless Communications Era

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	The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.		The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.

	[[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Motorola_Carphone_Model_TLD-1100,_1964,_view_1_-_National_Electronics_Museum_-_DSC00184.JPG\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum]]		https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Motorola_Carphone_Model_TLD-1100,_1964,_view_1_-_National_Electronics_Museum_-_DSC00184.JPG\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum

	These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.		These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.

Gcook: /* Wireless Communications Era */

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Wireless Communications Era

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	The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.		The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.

	[[File:~~Motorola Carphone Model TLD~~-1100, ~~1964~~, ~~view 1~~ - ~~National Electronics Museum~~\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum]]		[[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Motorola_Carphone_Model_TLD-1100,_1964,_view_1_-_National_Electronics_Museum_-_DSC00184.JPG\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum]]

	These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.		These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.

Gcook: /* Wireless Communications Era */

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Wireless Communications Era

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	The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.		The 1970s also saw the beginning of the wireless communications era. Until the late ’70s, mobile telephones called YJ Mobile sets were available for vehicles but were large, cumbersome devices that needed a car’s battery to power them.

	~~Insert photo of Wikimedia user Daderot/~~National Electronics Museum		[[File:Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, view 1 - National Electronics Museum\|frame\|center\|Motorola Carphone Model TLD-1100, 1964, National Electronics Museum]]

	These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.		These phones were unable to dial calls and still relied on a human operator to connect calls. Technological progress was very rapid, with frequencies going up and digital radios bringing down price, size and power requirements. MTS started the first dial mobile service in the late 1970s and early ’80s, but the cellular revolution was already underway. Equipment maker Motorola© made an early portable telephone, that could actually be carried and used, but these devices had no data or text capability, just voice. An alphabet soup of technologies came and many went just as quickly. TDMA, CDMA, UMTS, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and 5G systems brought text, data and even video to evermore modern Smartphones.

Gcook: /* Manitoba Government Telephones */

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Manitoba Government Telephones

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	One of the first goals of the newly created crown corporation was to provide access to service to all Manitobans. This goal seemed achievable at the time as the province was physically relatively small, occupying only the southern portion of what is now Manitoba. However, in 1912 the task became a lot harder when Manitoba was enlarged to its current size of over one-quarter of a million square miles.		One of the first goals of the newly created crown corporation was to provide access to service to all Manitobans. This goal seemed achievable at the time as the province was physically relatively small, occupying only the southern portion of what is now Manitoba. However, in 1912 the task became a lot harder when Manitoba was enlarged to its current size of over one-quarter of a million square miles.

	~~Insert map or figure of reference postage stamp and larger size of province~~.		[[File:Manitoba Telephone System 1923 Map.jpg\|frame\|left\|Manitoba Telephone System - 1923 System Map]]
			[[File:Manitoba Telephone System 1940 Map.jpg\|frame\|right\|Manitoba Telephone System - 1940 System Map]]


	Accompanying the large increase in size was the increase in the cost of equipment needed to provide service to regions with lower population density. To this point, telephones were rented and the calls included for free. So, MGT then introduced the concept of “measured rate” whereby usage would be charged on a per call basis like a modern payphone. As the system expanded, so did the costs and MGT continued to lose money in spite of the new rates.		Accompanying the large increase in size was the increase in the cost of equipment needed to provide service to regions with lower population density. To this point, telephones were rented and the calls included for free. So, MGT then introduced the concept of “measured rate” whereby usage would be charged on a per call basis like a modern payphone. As the system expanded, so did the costs and MGT continued to lose money in spite of the new rates.

Gcook: /* Bell Telephone Company of Canada */

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Bell Telephone Company of Canada

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	[[File:Manitoba Telecommunications Heritage Showcase-phone switchboard Alan Pollard collection.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Early phone switchboard, Manitoba Telecommunications Heritage Showcase]]		[[File:Manitoba Telecommunications Heritage Showcase-phone switchboard Alan Pollard collection.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Early phone switchboard, Manitoba Telecommunications Heritage Showcase]]
	~~Insert Photo – Manitoba Telecommunications Heritage Showcase~~

	==Manitoba Government Telephones==		==Manitoba Government Telephones==