Telecommunications of Yesterday
The telephone systems of the past relied on hundreds of miles of copper wires that crisscrossed the nation connecting one area to another. When you made a call, you talked to an operator and told them where you wanted to call and the number you were calling, she looks for the appropriate connection which is a physical plug and plugs in your line into that socket. This in effect completes the circuit and completes the connection to the party you are calling. The call rates were quite steep at the time for with a 5 minute call you physically owned all that wire for the said duration.