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AT&T Switching Center facts for kids
| AT&T Madison Complex Tandem Office | |
|---|---|
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| Alternative names | AT&T Switching Center PacBell Tower Pacific Telephone Tower SBC Building SBC Communications Switching Station |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial offices Switching station |
| Location | 420 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, California |
| Coordinates | 34°03′03″N 118°15′09″W / 34.050750°N 118.252614°W |
| Completed | 1961 |
| Owner | AT&T |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 136.55 m (448.0 ft) |
| Roof | 79 m (259 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 17 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John B. Parkinson Donald D. Parkinson |
The AT&T Madison Complex Tandem Office is a large, 17-story building located in Los Angeles, California. It was finished in 1961. This building plays a very important role in connecting phone calls for many people.
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The AT&T Madison Complex Building
This building is also known by other names. Some people call it the AT&T Switching Center or the PacBell Tower. It stands tall in downtown Los Angeles.
A Tall Building in Los Angeles
The AT&T Madison Complex is 79 m (259 ft) (about 259 feet) high. It has 17 floors. When it was built, it was one of the taller buildings around. With its special microwave tower, the total height reached 137 m (449 ft) (about 449 feet). This made it one of the tallest buildings in Los Angeles for a long time.
What is a Tandem Office?
A "Tandem Office" is like a giant switchboard for phone calls. This building helps connect over 1.3 million phone lines. It handles calls within Los Angeles and also long-distance calls. Long-distance calls are phone calls made to places far away. This building helps connect calls to other countries too.
How Phone Calls Connect
When you dial a phone number, the call travels through many wires and switches. The AT&T Madison Complex helps direct these calls. It makes sure your call reaches the right person, even if they are in another city or country. It's a bit like a traffic controller for phone calls.
The Microwave Tower
The building used to have a tall microwave tower on top. This tower was used until 1993. Microwave towers send phone signals through the air using radio waves. This was a fast way to send many calls at once. It helped connect calls over long distances before fiber optic cables became common.
Who Built and Owns It?
The building was designed by two architects, John B. Parkinson and Donald D. Parkinson. They were a father and son team. Today, the building is owned by AT&T. AT&T is a very large telecommunications company. They provide phone and internet services.