How Do You Spell PULSE DIAL?

1. Pulse dial refers to a method of dialing telephone numbers using a series of brief and intermittent electrical pulses. It was one of the earliest dialing systems used in telecommunication, predating the more advanced tone dialing technology. In pulse dial, each digit of the telephone number is dialed by mechanically interrupting the current in a circuit, producing specific numbers of distinct pulses or interruptions. These pulses are then transmitted to the central telephone exchange for call processing and connection establishment.

   Typically, a dialer tool or a rotary dial on a telephone device is used for pulse dialing. When a digit is selected, the user rotates the dialer or a rotary dial wheel which generates a specific number of pulses equivalent to the chosen digit. For instance, dialing the number "5" involves rotating the dialer five times to generate five pulses.

   Pulse dialing is often recognized by the characteristic clicking sound associated with each rotation of the dialer, helping users count the dialed digits. It requires a manual effort for each digit, leading to relatively slower dialing compared to more modern tone dialing systems.

   With advancements in telecommunication technology, pulse dialing has largely been replaced by tone dialing, which uses dual-tone multi-frequency signals to represent digits. However, pulse dialing systems may still be encountered in certain locations or older telephone systems.

The term "pulse dial" is a combination of two words:

1. Pulse: The word "pulse" refers to a brief, strong burst of energy or a rhythmic beating or throbbing. In the context of telecommunication, it represents the brief interruption of a current flow used to send signals or make a connection.

2. Dial: The word "dial" originally referred to a circular plate or disc marked with numbers, indicators, or letters used for measurement or calibration. In the context of telephones, it specifically refers to the rotating circular plate or disk used to enter telephone numbers.

When combined, "pulse dial" refers to the mechanism by which telephones used to send signals for dialing numbers. It indicates the use of pulses, or brief interruptions of current flow, to indicate the digits dialed, while the rotary dial was used to generate these pulses.