SPEAKING CLOCK AKA TALKING CLOCK

A talking clock is a live or recorded human voice, usually accessed by telephone that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observatory, on February 14, 1933.

The format of the service is similar to that of radio time signal services. At set intervals (e.g. ten seconds) a voice announces (for example) “At the third stroke, the time will be twelve forty-six and ten seconds…”, with three beeps following. Some countries have sponsored time announcements and include the sponsor’s name in the message.

The first automated time service in the United States began in Atlanta, Georgia in 1934 as a promotion for Tick Tock Ginger Ale.

The service became typically known as the “Time of Day” service, with the term “speaking clock” never being used. Occasionally it would be called “Time and Temperature” simply “Time”.

For all area codes in Northern California and on the West Coast generally, the reserved exchange, the reserved exchange was 767 which was often indicated by its phoneword POPCORN (767-2676); the service was discontinued in 2007.

CURRENTLY ACTIVE TELEPHONE TALKING CLOCK SERVICE
PHONE NUMBER	LOCATION	DESCRIPTION
502-585-5961	Louisville, KY	Once owned by Citizen’s Fidelity Bank. In operation as of November, 2018
xxx-xx-0123	Wisconsin	The former Wisconsin Bell reserved the ending -0123 in the dominant exchange for a city time and temperature information.
920-734-0123*	Appleton, WI	Originally provided by AT&T, the incumbent LEC**, the service was terminated after decades in existence and the number was taken over by a privately operated talking clock offering the time, temperature and  brief sponsored advertisements.
203-777-4647 (203-SPRINGS)	New Haven, CT	Working as of July, 2018
219-933-9000	Northwest, IN	Working as of today
406-442-1730	Helena, MT	Working as of July 2018
408-767-2676 (408-POPCORN)	San Jose, CA	Time/Temperature Service now provided by a CLEC*. Working as of July 2018
415-767-2676	San Francisco, CA	Time/Temperature Service now provided by a CLEC**
541-917-6885	Albany, OR	Working as of July 2018
817-844-6611	Fort Worth, TX	Working as of August 2018. Provided by Haltrom’s Jewelers (previously owned by Chase Bank).
972-844-6611	Dallas, TX	Working as of November 2018. Also works with 214 area code.
919-362-1226	Apex, NC	Working as of July 2018
919-468-8463 (468-TIME)	Cary, NC	Working as of July 2018
740—774-2151	Kannapolis, NC	Working as of July 2018
513-721-1700	Cincinnati, OH	Working as of July 2018
740-774-2151	Chillicothe, OH	Working as of July 2018
251-660-0044	Mobile, AL	Working as of July 2018
770-455-7141	Atlanta, GA	Working as of November 2018
330-823-8211	Alliance, OH	Working as of November 2018
302-475-8463	Wilmington, DE	Working as of December 2018

*I called this number today, and a very pleasant female voice greeted me with; “Good morning, today is December 19, the time is 11:14 and the temperature is 35 degrees”.

**A competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) is a telecommunications provider company (sometimes called a “carrier”) competing with other already established carriers (generally the incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC).