Dial House is a large BT telephone exchange, network connection site and administration building in Salford, Greater Manchester, in the United Kingdom.[1][2] The building dates back to the 1930s, and was built for HM Office of Works by J. Gerrard and Sons of Swinton. It was formerly named Telephone House.[3][4] At the time of its construction, it was described as the largest telephone exchange building in the world.[3]
The building contains Manchester's Blackfriars and Deansgate telephone exchanges.[5] It played a pivotal part in the expansion of telecommunications and broadcasting in the United Kingdom in the 20th century.[6] It was at one point part of the British Telecom microwave network.[4] It is one of the sites interconnected by the Guardian telephone exchange tunnel network built during the Cold War.[7]
See also
- Telephony in Greater Manchester
References
- The Good, The Standard, The Ugly: Dial House, Salford Confidentials, retrieved 2026-01-17^
- Tour of BT Dial House Ross Wilson, 2021-02-06, retrieved 2026-01-17^
- Telephone Exchange, 21, Chapel Street, Salford - Building manchestervictorianarchitects.org.uk, retrieved 2026-01-17