AT&T's operators a century ago: 24-hour shifts and 36,000 calls a day

More than a century ago, there was no AI or advanced technology to rely on for telecommunications: human operators had to do it. In the case of World War I, these were the Hello Girls – a group of female telephone operators who served as part of the US Army Signal Corps. They were recruited by AT&T and played a crucial role in maintaining military communications for the American Expeditionary Forces in France.

Their story is not widely known, which made it all the more significant when they were recently honored with the Congressional Gold Medal.

The recruitment and training process for the Hello Girls was rigorous. Their fluency in both English and French allowed them to efficiently connect calls between American and French forces, significantly improving battlefield communication.

AT&T's archives reveal that only the most skilled candidates were selected from six training centers across the United States. The standards were high, with many applicants failing to qualify. This ensured that those chosen were fully prepared to handle the demanding task ahead.



Once in France, the efficiency of the Hello Girls became immediately evident. While some members of the Army Signal Corps took up to a minute to connect calls, these skilled operators could complete the task in just 10 seconds. Recognizing their expertise, General John Pershing and Colonel Parker Hitt made sure they were assigned to the most critical moments of the war.

One such instance was during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, where six operators worked in continuous 24-hour shifts to keep communication lines open.

Before the Hello Girls joined the war effort, American forces could manage only 13,000 calls per day. Their presence dramatically increased that number to 36,000 calls daily. By the end of the war, they had facilitated over 25 million local calls and nearly 900,000 long-distance calls through the American system, ensuring communication that proved essential to military operations.

Despite their service, the US Army deemed them civilians after the war, denying them veteran status and benefits. It took over half a century for them to receive the recognition they deserved. When they were finally granted veteran status, only 18 of the original operators were still alive. Now, their contributions have been formally acknowledged with the Congressional Gold Medal as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2025.