When telephone switching was started, the number of telephone subscribers in Tokyo was 155, but increased rapidly to about 4,000 by 1898, and high-capacity efficient switches were required. Parallel compound switches were installed in Tokyo and Osaka responding to such requirements. Telephone switches around 1900 in Tokyo were all parallel compound switches, from 1903 they were introduced in main cities like Kyoto. When the telephone service was started, bare wires were drawn for each subscriber and telephone lines were added to telegraph lines. They looked like cobwebs.

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