So if they didn't have dials before why did they have that circular thing? Were they expecting dials to show up? That's pretty forward-thinking.
Of course back then everyone rented their phones from the phone company anyway so it's not like people were going to be stuck with an old useless clunker.
Yeah, except back then old folks complained to family members who would smile and shrug their shoulders, instead of nursing home staff who will rob and rape them.