Telephones traditionally use which method of switching?

Telephones traditionally use circuit switching, a method that establishes a dedicated communication path or circuit between two endpoints for the duration of a call. In circuit switching, when a call is initiated, a series of physical connections through the network are established, allowing uninterrupted voice transmission. This dedicated path remains in place until the call is terminated, ensuring a constant and reliable connection, which is particularly essential for real-time voice communication.

The other methods have different characteristics: packet switching breaks data into packets for transmission over a network, which does not guarantee a dedicated path during transmission. Hybrid switching integrates aspects of both circuit and packet switching but is not the primary method used in traditional telephony systems. Optical switching involves the use of light signals instead of electric signals for data transmission, which is more relevant to modern high-speed network technologies rather than traditional telephones. Thus, circuit switching is the appropriate answer when referring to the historical context of telephone communication.