Lost to time apparently, there was a service called “PC Pursuit” that allowed you to dial into a local access number and then dial out again through a remote modem to BBSs in other area codes. The traffic in between was carried over an X.25 network. I used this service for a number of years before trading it for a Unix shell account w/ Usenet access. It was a little choppy sometimes but opened the door to a larger world.

I still use the phreaking files from that era today - the phone number I use has rung busy for at least forty years. You can still use those automated callback numbers as a convenient exit for long meetings “oops, I’ve got to take this…”