Although it doesn't appear that the Federal Telephone Company ever implemented its Musolaphone proposal, eight years later it was an early adopter of another communications technology, when it established radio broadcasting station WGR, which is still on the air in Buffalo.
Buffalo (New York) Express, March 12, 1914, page 8:
METERED MUSIC AND ORATORY OVER AUTOMATIC PHONE
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Buffalo Will Enjoy These Features of the "New Telephony" When Automatic is Cut Into Service by Federal Company.
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Musolaphone Attachment Works Wonders and Brings Entertainment to its Subscribers as a Metered Plan.
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(Business of pulling Automatic telephone dial.)
"Hello. Studio director?"
"Yes."
"Please give me three cents worth of Wagner, six cents worth of ragtime, three cents worth of Representative Underwood's speech in Washington today, and the baseball reports."
Sounds amusing, doesn't it?
But it is entirely possible by the use of the Musalophone, the wonderful new loud-talking device that is being exhibited this week at the Electric Show in connection with Federal Telephone Company's demonstration of the Automatic telephone. Thus far it has been the hit of the show. The interest in it began on Monday night when President Meldrum of the Chamber of Commerce delivered his opening speech to nearly 10,000 people distributed throughout the great hall. In no other way would it have been possible for him to reach their ears with his clever message of felicitation to the promoters of the show and their guests.
The Musolaphone is virtually an "amplifier of sound." It is necessary only to speak in the ordinary tone of voice, the sound being amplified in transmission and reproduced in the exact tones, but greatly magnified in volume.
The possibilities of the instrument in connection with the Automatic is truly astonishing and affords the most flexible telephone service ever offered. In educational, amusement and other directions it is truly marvelous.
In Chicago, where the Musolaphone is in general use, a very large patronage has been developed among people who, either because of bad weather or indisposition, are reluctant to leave their comfortable firesides. In case of a concert or lecture or other form of entertainment they call the studio director and specify what they wish to hear. Instantly the connection is made, the amplifier adjusted and they enjoy the treat without leaving their own apartments.
In an educational way there are many uses for the new instrument. The most practical of these is the transmission of lessons by the Musolaphone. There is in Chicago a teacher of languages whose pupils have grown so in number recently that personal attention to each pupil has come to be out of the question. An arrangement was made with the Automatic Company's studio for connections and service and now the lessons are all transmitted by telephones, service can be cut in any time for the purpose of asking questions or more information on certain points and in all ways the telephone service proves as flexible as the ordinary arrangement in a studyroom.
Another feature that the Federal company expects to develop as soon as the Automatic service is put into commission so the flexibility of the service makes it possible, is the Federal Telephone Extra. This will be designed for men who, by reason of habit or business are required to have their fingers closely on the pulse of the news.
By this arrangement the company will serve the most important news to whoever subscribes for it. Picture the busy business man, snugly settled in his favorite chair enjoying his last cigar. The only drawback to his complete comfort is the uncertainty about how steel stocks closed or for the inter[]-minded, how the home baseball team finished at Baltimore. Promptly at 10 o'clock the service will be cut in, his bell will ring and in a clear tone, without the necessity of holding the receiver to his ear, he will hear the complete baseball report, the closing markets, what happened in Mexico, Mr. Roosevelt's "kill" in the day's hunting trip, the [] at the national capital, indeed everything of interest. This will be furnished in the "shorthanded form" and will sharpen the appetite for the news papers. This service and [rest of sentence unreadable].
[most of closing article paragraph unreadable] It will [] one of the strongest arguments [] women's suffrage. Mother [won't have] to go out to political meetings. She can stay home and hear both sides of the controversy while she [] clothing.