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Celebrating 50 Years
Some companies start in garages. Ours started with a dresser drawer.
1951 • The Birth of Telesignal
The First Amtelco Innovation was Built from a Dresser Drawer
Long before Amtelco was founded, William J. Curtin II was helping operate a growing telephone answering service in Madison, Wisconsin. As more businesses relied on the service, managing multiple telephone lines became increasingly difficult and expensive.
Rather than accept the limitations of existing technology, Bill set out to create a better solution.
In 1951, he invented Telesignal, a device that combined multiple telephone lines into a single line while identifying exactly which line was ringing.
What makes the story remarkable is where that innovation began.
The first Telesignal wasn’t developed in a laboratory or manufacturing facility. It was built from a dresser drawer.
That homemade prototype reflected a mindset that continues to define Amtelco today: see a challenge, find a better way, and build the solution.
Tell Your Story
Share your Amtelco Memories
Help us celebrate 50 years by sharing a favorite memory, milestone, customer story, project, or experience with Amtelco. Your submissions may be featured in our anniversary materials, including our website, social media, and special events. At the bottom of the form, there’s a checkbox giving us permission to use your name and comments. If you have questions, please contact the Marketing Department at Amtelco.
