A rotary phone is a type of telephone that uses a rotating dial to input numbers. When a user wants to make a call, they place their finger in a hole corresponding to the desired digit and rotate the dial clockwise until it stops. After releasing the dial, it returns to its original position, sending electrical pulses to the phone line to connect the call. Introduced in the early 20th century, rotary phones were widely used until the 1980s, when touch-tone phones became more popular. Despite their decline, rotary phones are often seen as nostalgic items and are sometimes used in vintage decor or by collectors interested in early telecommunications technology.