I have this old Western Electric Comkey 416 (circa 1976) analog key telepho ne system in my house. With two primary sets and the remainder being slaves the system can handle 4 lines and 16 extensions. The sets all connect onto 66 blocks with 25 pair cable. Yes it's antiquated but it does music on hol d and intercom and serves our needs.
Lately I have noticed something peculiar. If I'm speaking with another part y and I put them on hold the system will stay on hold indefinitely. However if I put them on hold and they eventually hang up my system will eventuall y go back on hook by itself. How can it do this? As far as I know this is j ust a "dumb system. How could it know that the other party hung up and then to release the line. I seriously doubt that they had the technology to do this in 1975. Maybe someone (like an Ex telephone guy) might know if Wester n Electric could have built anything that sophisticated into this system in 1975 to detect anything like a kiss off, (I'm guessing) from the CO. Thank s, Lenny