Traffic Service Position System

The Traffic Service Position System (TSPS) was developed by Bell Labs in Columbus, Ohio to replace traditional cord switchboards.

The TSPS system included the "Remote Trunking Arrangement" (RTA) feature that consolidated the trunk connection at the originating switch and provided a switched connection to a telephone operator only as required for a short duration at the beginning of a call to obtain billing information or at the end of a call in which the caller requested "time and charges".

The TSPS system provided a temporary switched connection to a toll operator who helped facilitate calls requiring human assistance such as person-to-person, collect, third-party-billed, and hotel billing.

The TSPS system included the Hotel Billing Information System (HoBIS) special feature to provide automated billing of long-distance calls from hotel front desks so guests could be charged for calls made almost immediately prior to their departure.

The ACTS sub-system handled the automated voice announcements, e.g. "Please deposit five cents for the next three minutes" (initially voiced by Jane Barbe, and later Pat Fleet), and worked with TSPS for coin deposit (start of call) and coin collection/coin return (at end of call).