The 1983 Northern Telecom Commodore Phone: A Canadian-Only Tech Oddity Born from Telecom Regulations
By
Doug
Summary
This article tells the story of the 1983 Northern Telecom Commodore Phone, a rare piece of hardware sold exclusively in Canada. To comply with strict Canadian telecom regulations (which required Bell Canada-approved equipment) and overcome technical limitations, Commodore bundled their VICModem with a specially branded rotary dial telephone made by Northern Telecom. This unique combination allowed Canadian users to get online while adhering to local laws. The article explores the regulatory and technical challenges that led to this unusual product, which has since become a collector's item.
Source
Hacker NewsThe 1983 Northern Telecom Commodore Phone: A Canadian-Only Tech Oddity Born from Telecom Regulationsoldtelephoneroom.caKey quotes
· 3 pulledTo get around strict telecom regulations and technical limitations, Commodore did something unique: they bundled the modem with a rotary dial telephone made by Northern Telecom—specially branded and only ever sold in Canada.
In the early days of home computing, the VICModem was Commodore's answer to getting users online. But in Canada, things got… complicated.
Here's the strange-but-true story behind one of the rarest pieces of Commodore hardware ever
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