ERICSSON
COMPACT

ETL compact table telephone similar to Gecophone

Ericsson made a phone very similar to the Gecophone, the chief difference being a "stag’s antler" cradle similar to that of the Telephone 232.  This telephone was originally supplied with a BPO No. 8 (rather than No. 10) dial.  The handset was the standard BPO 164 type but originally used an inset microphone of Ericsson's own design.  Somehow the designers found room for a full-size ringer in the moulding, which had radiused slots at the bottom to allow the sound to escape (the Gecophone used miniature gongs).

Some collectors confuse these telephones with the similar Gecophones but the differences are fairly apparent.  The Ericsson model has a different case, with separate holes for handset and line cords (GEC has just one opening) and the internal components are totally different.  All Ericsson models had proper stag's antler cradles whereas only the very first Gecophones did.  Earlier Ericsson models had the bottom of the front and back of the case cut away to let out more sound from the ringer, as already mentioned.

During the 1950's Telephone Rentals commissioned a further quantity of these telephones but not from Ericsson.  Instead they were made by TMC, using a  more modern transmission circuit. The case is very similar to that of the Gecophone (no cutaway along the lower edge) but with a proper ‘stag’s antlers’ cradle rather than the stubby Gecophone design.  The dials were bought in from STC.

It appears that the same ‘innards’ were used to refurbish older telephones as the chassis is also found labelled as a 'Conversion Set for PAX instruments Code SS2597 TMC S55680'.  The induction coil is identical with the BPO type 27.  Surplus stocks of these assemblies were sold off by J Bull (Electrical) Ltd  during the 1980s and to confuse people further, some collectors have fitted them to Gecophone bodies as well.

No separate wall telephone was designed; instead a punched steel wall bracket was supplied for mounting the desk phone.

Model numbers:
Click here for the full range of ETL compact telephones.

Colours:
Black, possibly others.

Users:
Private system customers of ETL, in particular Telephone Rentals Ltd, with whom this was a standard telephone for many years.

Click here on how to identity different companies models and circuit diagrams

Last revised: December 14, 2024