A tribute to the voice of WWVH,
the late, Jane Barbe of Atlanta, GA

Jane Barbe is the “voice” of WWVH, the Time and Frequency Radio Station of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).She was affectionately known as the “Telephone Lady”. In addition to her voice being broadcasted 24 hours a day around the world on WWVH, her voice is still heard by millions of people, every day announcing “time and temperature” and “weather forecast” services in many cities. In addition, her voice speaks for the telephone network announcing, “the number you have reached…” for changed numbers and disconnects and “all circuits are busy…” Many voice mail systems use her voice, nationwide.She was quite a busy and “visible” person!!

Jane was an Atlanta native and graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in drama.She was married and had been a commercial singer and actress for many years. She has been seen on various television shows around the country, including “The Mike Douglas Show”, “Real People” and “I’ve Got A Secret” as the “Time Lady”. She has been in many TV commercials as well including ads for Coca Cola, Delta Airlines, Georgia Power (a local utility), Southern Bell and many more. She has been the “voice” of WWVH since the early 1970’s.

Jane passed away on July 18, 2003 after a battle with cancer. She was 74.