Tootfinder

Hey #GenX. Remember when calling a BBS in a nearby area code resulted in $100s in long distance charges - giving rise to carriers like Sprint & MCI?
I once called a #BBS in my own area code thinking it was local & my Dad got a $500

Bulletin Board Systems (BBS): the "internet" before the internet — Paul McLellan
Before you could connect to the internet with high speed cable modems, you were limited to connecting to localized networks through a telephone-based modem at a very, very low speed.