Rotary phone will not be replaced in George Murray's house
'I haven't got calluses on my fingers yet from dialing'
After a half a century of using a rotary phone, George Murray of Bunbury, P.E.I., has no intention of replacing it with a new push-button model.
He says he is happy with the latest model of the rotary phone, one the phone company upgraded for him 35 years ago.
"I never thought of replacing it, it does everything a new phone does and sometimes it does it better," said Murray.
Murray adds he likes the ring the rotary phone makes and said a conversation on it sounds a lot better.
"It's nice and clear, the newer phones I find they sound tinny.. anyway, we have two of them."
Two rotary phones in home
Murray has one upstairs in his home and another in his basement office.
"I haven't got calluses on my fingers yet from dialing," Murray laughed.
But what does he do when he has to push a number to connect to a certain department.
"I write them a letter, they always respond to a letter."
Phones paid for long ago
Murray said he paid to rent the rotary phones for years but the phone company recently stopped charging it after a repair man pointed out the phones would have been paid for a long time ago.
A family member recently gave Murray a push button phone but he has no intention of using it even though it's plugged in, but not worthy of the phone table.
It's simple he said. The rotary phones still work so he's still going to use them.
"I'm a bit of history now myself, just because it's old you don't throw it out."
Murray is not alone in wanting to use a rotary phone. They are a popular item at pawn shops and auctions said Andrew Cormier, a Most Wanted buyer.
"I think it's the old vintage look, a lot of people want that old rotary feel when they're making that phone call," said Cormier.
"Not a lot of people make a lot of land line calls anymore, with the cell phones and everything. It's just kind of for looks I would say."
With files from Laura Meader