Mayor Flaherty and the Picturephone

June 30, 1970

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Title
Mayor Flaherty and the Picturephone
Creator
Pittsburgh (Pa.). City Photographer
Date
June 30, 1970
Identifier
20190726-hpiasc-0008
Description
54th Mayor of Pittsburgh Peter Flaherty calling Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) Chairman John Harper, in the inaugural commercial use of the AT&T Picturephone. Hosted by the Bell Telephone System at the Bell Telephone Building. According to the AT&T Tech Channel's AT&T Archives, the Picturephone launched in the City of Pittsburgh with 38 Picturephones used by 8 different companies, but by 1974 the number was reduced to 5 due to high costs. Nationwide only several hundred Picturephones were used, primarily in Chicago, which was the second city to offer service to the public after Pittsburgh. The AT&T Picturephone allowed users to both speak and see each other during conversation, but cost $160 per month for a single line.
Extent
4 x 5 in.
Type
still image
Genre
photographs
Subject
Press conferences
Video telephone
Men
Flaherty, Peter F., 1924-
Geographic Subjects
Central Business District (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Golden Triangle (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Downtown (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Source
Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, 1901-2000
Contributor
University of Pittsburgh
Collection
Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection
Rights Information
Copyright Not Evaluated. The copyright and related rights status of this Item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
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