Made by Northern Telecom in Belleville, Ontario, Canada

The image below shows a young person interacting with a large Displayphone working model, likely during the late 1980s at Northern Telecom plant in Belleville, Ontario. This model represents early innovations in telecommunications, where the Displayphone was being developed to integrate both visual and audio communication into a single device. The photo captures a moment of technological exploration, as the young person engages with the cutting-edge technology of that era.

Belleville Intelligencer Newspaper Clipping from Belleville Public Library Archives. September 23rd 1981.

In the early 1980s, this Northern Telecom displayphone was ahead of its time. It combined voice and data transmission with a 300 bps modem. It never caught on as a business phone but with its futuristic look, it appeared in several science fiction movies.

YouTube Displayphone videos.