Early Telephone Etiquette of Costa Rica

The Costa Rican gentleman or lady never answers the telephone — that duty is left to a servant… “All calls are made by asking the operator for the other subscriber. Consequently, putting through a call is sometimes long process —something like diplomatic negotiations.

Costa Rica Is World Leader In ‘Phone Etiquette

CHICAGO, Jan. 3.-Costa Rica is setting the telephone etiquette of the world, according to Frank м. Kenney of the International Western Electric Company, just back after a visit of seven months to San Jose. He says the Costa Rican gentleman or lady never answers the telephone — that duty is left to a servant.

“Costa Rica has absolutely no use for telephone numbers,” said Mr. Kenney. “All calls are made by asking the operator for the other subscriber. Consequently, putting through a call is sometimes long process —something like diplomatic negotiations, particularly if the servant happens to be out of sorts or the telephone operator is not up on all the social registers of the community.”

Virtually all telephone calls in Costa Rica are put through between three and five in the afternoon and very few at night. The Costa Rica business day begins at seven. Eight in the morning is late. Then at 10:30 the shops close for breakfast, to reopen again at 12:30.

Last January fire destroyed the exchange at San Jose and put all the lines out of commission. Mr. Kenney superintended the rebuilding of the entire communication system of the city. — Associated Press ,1924

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