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Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

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Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#3
Very fun article, thanks for sharing :)

I think the current title ‘You could own a 555-XXXX phone number but Verizon’s charged you $2,500 to use it’ doesn’t capture how bad the deal was —- here’s the relevant quote from the article

> Verizon was notorious for charging high fees to establish service to 555 numbers, charging $2,500 for each area code that you wanted your 555 number to be routed in.

Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#5

Very fun article, thanks for sharing :) I think the current title ‘You could own a 555-XXXX phone number but Verizon’s charged you $2,500 to use it’ doesn’t capture how bad the deal was —- here’s the relevant quote from the article > Verizon was notorious for charging high fees to establish service to 555 numbers, charging $2,500 for each area code that you wanted your 555 number to be routed in.

This is the craziest part of the whole article - imagine you wanted to own something like "555-FOOD" - to have this vanity number work in every area code, you'd be looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars (annually?) if you used Verizon to route the calls

Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#6
This seems to be the site for the organization with the only one in use that isn't a redirect. https://www.eftps.gov

I wonder how they decided to use that 555 number. They had to know the connotation 555 numbers had, it somewhat makes their site look like some scam or parody. If they were willing to use one anyways why not something like 800-555-5555? Or anything easier to remember than 3453?

Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#7

Very fun article, thanks for sharing :) I think the current title ‘You could own a 555-XXXX phone number but Verizon’s charged you $2,500 to use it’ doesn’t capture how bad the deal was —- here’s the relevant quote from the article > Verizon was notorious for charging high fees to establish service to 555 numbers, charging $2,500 for each area code that you wanted your 555 number to be routed in.

Joke's on them, I registered for Klondike-5.

Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#8

This title is really poor. It was $2500 per area code you connect to, and no longer offered. Not exactly something to write home about.

> no longer offered

The title says "charged", not "charges".

Re the per area code, I agree, it was also my first thought, but I can't think of any way the poster could have concisely included that in the title

Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#9

This seems to be the site for the organization with the only one in use that isn't a redirect. https://www.eftps.gov I wonder how they decided to use that 555 number. They had to know the connotation 555 numbers had, it somewhat makes their site look like some scam or parody. If they were willing to use one anyways why not something like 800-555-5555? Or anything easier to remember than 3453?

If you look at a telephone keypad with letters, 3453 can be mapped to FILE. So the number would be 555-FILE (which would be a reasonable mnemonic for something to do with taxes).

Re: Overview of the 555-XXXX phone number

#10
post #9

This seems to be the site for the organization with the only one in use that isn't a redirect. https://www.eftps.gov I wonder how they decided to use that 555 number. They had to know the connotation 555 numbers had, it somewhat makes their site look like some scam or parody. If they were willing to use one anyways why not something like 800-555-5555? Or anything easier to remember than 3453?

If you look at a telephone keypad with letters, 3453 can be mapped to FILE. So the number would be 555-FILE (which would be a reasonable mnemonic for something to do with taxes).

A good thought. It made me wonder if they used to advertise like that but stopped as that style of phone has all but vanished. From 2005-2010, they used 800-555-8778. In 2011, they used 800-555-4477, and then switched to 3453 in 2012.

In none of the years from 2012-2015 did they advertise on the homepage with 555-file, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone originally did pick that number for that reason and after they decided against advertising with it they stuck with the number.

What a waste of ten minutes this was.

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