# So what did they drill into the telephone pole? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 13, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-they-drill-into-the-telephone-pole/719906 "2015-05-13T02:43:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-they-drill-into-the-telephone-pole/719906/21 "2015-05-13T22:44:30Z")
Yes the Post Office Engineering Department ran the telephone & telegram service here as a civil service department. In the 1960s it became a publicly-owned corporation, and was eventually spun off from the Post Office and privatised as British Telecom. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-they-drill-into-the-telephone-pole/719906/22 "2015-05-13T23:32:47Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Isn’t that the last line of _1984_? No, it is from _Rose Tint My World_ It was great when it all began, I was a regular Frankie Fan Until he started working on a plan To build him a muscle man Now the only thing that gives me hope Is my love of a certain 'Dope Rose tints my world Keeps me safe from my trouble and pain ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-they-drill-into-the-telephone-pole/719906/23 "2015-05-14T00:50:51Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Honestly, I’m not even entirely sure what a star drill is It’s actually a bit used for hand-drilling holes in stone or concrete From [this link](http://www.enderes.com/extractors.htm): > [@](#): > > Star Drills are the forerunners of today’s electric masonry drill bits. They are designed to create holes in masonry, brick, stone, and concrete. Star Drills are for hand use only. They are not to be used in power drilling equipment. The Star Drill cutting edge resembles four chisels joined at their edges to form a cross. You whack it (many times) with a substantial hammer, turning it a small amount between blows. (A bit strange that it helped in this search.) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-they-drill-into-the-telephone-pole/719906/24 "2015-05-14T09:18:41Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > Yes the Post Office Engineering Department ran the telephone & telegram service here as a civil service department. In the 1960s it became a publicly-owned corporation, and was eventually spun off from the Post Office and privatised as British Telecom. In AUS, the Post Master Generals department ran the local Telephone and Telegraph system, and the equipment was all labeled “PMG”. But equipment for overseas connection was provided by the OTC, Overseas Telecommunications Commission, reflecting the fact that the first overseas cables were laid by non-PMG providers. Taking their cue from the Brits, the TT system was split off into a government owned corporation, named something, but \*trading as[/] Telecom (because that’s what a civilised person calls a government owned corporation running the telephone system). Then joined with the OTC and sold off, now named Telstra. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-they-drill-into-the-telephone-pole/719906.md?page=1)