Negatory. Telco runs on hook at -48VDC on ring nominally but upwards of -52VDC is allowable due to voltaic loss across distance. You see the real reason for DC in phone systems is because the nature of analog communications works better with DC than AC. When you go off hook a switch detects the short from the phone completing the circuit and the voltage drops to about -9 to -15VDC off hook.
The ohms resistance across the loop has to be within certain thresholds for the switch to detect the short. I can’t recall the specs on a modern 5ESS switch but that’s why the further out you go the lower the gauge. So if you’re 15 miles from the main office you can expect 19ga copper.
The twisting on the pair is to reduce Induction between the pairs and AC systems. If you run voltage over a copper wire it’ll induce across any line running parallel.
Also with DC telecom you need to balance the pair and have the same capacitive length on each side to reduce noise.
Telephone work is easy though. But doing it well is the hard part.
I've wondered about that a bit. Do the line installers have current-adjusting resistors available at the C.O. when provisioning a particular dialup subscriber loop?
Seems to me I ran into at least 1800 ohms loop resistance on about a 4 mile leased pair. We had to calibrate the current for a remote-reading meter, and the current sender had enough adjustment range to juuuust barely, nearly, almost, bring the meter into cal.