Distributing Music Over Telephone Lines

Distributing Music Over Telephone Lines is an article from a 1909 issue of Telephony magazine describing the groundbreaking music via phone service:

Wilmington, Delaware, is enjoying a novel service through the telephone exchange. Phonograph music is supplied over the wires to those subscribers who sign up for the service. Attached to the wall near the telephone is a box containing a special receiver, adapted to throw out a large volume of sound into the room. A megaphone may be attached whenever service is to be given. The box is attached to the line wires by a bridged tap from the line circuit. At the central office, the lines of musical subscribers are tapped to a manual board attended by an operator. A number of phonographs are available, and a representative assortment of records kept on hand.

Back then I guess you didn’t need DRM because everything sucked. (via JB)