When I was a kid my phone number was 598J and when you wanted to make a call you talked to the operator and gave her the number you wanted to call. She would connect you to the number you gave her. I lived in town but people who lived n the country had party lines. There were 3-4 people who shared the line and when someone was being called all the people on the party line heard it ring. Your ring was kind of like Morris Code. It may be two long rings followed by a short ring. Someone else's ring may be 3 short rings, etc. Anyone on your party line could lift their receiver and listen in on your call.