On October 2, 1897, a service was held at the building of the Penza postal and telegraph district management to mark the opening of telephone communication in Penza. The event was attended by Vice-Governor K.P. Pertzov, Mayor N.T. Yevstifeev, and management staff. The launch of the line was delayed due to rain and the need to manufacture fastening hardware in a local workshop, as local craftsmen demanded excessively high prices. Over 400 poods of various types of iron were processed to create the hardware. Instead of the planned twelve versts of line, eighteen were laid, and the number of wires increased from sixty to ninety versts. At the time of the opening, the network had 72 subscribers, including the governor, Prince P.D. Svyatopolk-Mirsky, the vice-governor, the head of the postal and telegraph district M.N. Sambikin, the district leader of the nobility N.A. Panchulidzev, the city administration, the provincial government, major banks, police departments, the district court, railway stations, pharmacies, hotels, factories, and shops.