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Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

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Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#21

Post by ghaff »

aaronharnly wrote: post #14
tedunangst wrote: post #10

This article, and Wikipedia, and apparently everyone else, all cite the same 2001 nytimes article regarding the Committee of Ten Million to Oppose All-Number Calling. How influential were they, really, if that is the only remnant of their existence?

Here’s a New Yorker piece from 1962 mentioning them, at least: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1962/10/27/comment-4830

I don't remember the exact timeframe but it wasn't far from then when I switched from Verizon to Comcast and it meant I had to switch phone numbers for exchange reasons. It was sort of annoying and, among other things led to me getting very persistent calls from some debt collector for a while.

My cell phone number now is one I've had for ages and actually dates to when it mattered what area code you had for cell for cost reasons based on who you called before "favored" area codes became scarce. Think there was a Seinfeld episode based on that too.

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#22

Post by readthenotes1 »

Scoundreller wrote: post #16
bobthepanda wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most major metro areas in the US no longer support seven digit dialing.

Sometimes it’s just implied. At the pizza place where our cabin is (ok, it’s like a 25 minutes drive), you can just give them your last 4 numbers and they assume the rest.

Up until the 1980s my great-grandparents lived in the town where they only used four digits for all local calls. It was pretty nice, they tell me

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#24

Post by brianpan »

rconti wrote: post #4

It's so annoying that they only used one example (Murray Hill) which is actually MU and not MH, which required me to re-skim it a few times to grok what was going on. It would have been nice for the article to provide several examples of the mnemonic. While I've been aware for quite a few years that the telephone system used to use names for exchanges (eg, Pennsylvania 6-500), it took a few MORE years for me to reali…

The article linked to the full Ma Bell list: https://web.archive.org/web/20150317062651/http://www.ourweb...

It's strange to me that there are 5-6 options for each exchange, instead of a canonical name.

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#25

Post by ghaff »

vxNsr wrote: post #18
zabzonk wrote: post #7

using my landline, i generally just give people my last 6 digits - one of the reasons i like using landlines for local calls, actually

You must live in a very remote area to still support that. Not to mention to still have a landline, no one I know in my area will even give out a POTS line, you can only get VOIP and most households don’t have that anymore either, aside from the outrageous cost all the providers charge for a single line, there’s so many taxes and fees you end up paying close to 100% more. (E.g $40/m for the line ends up being $80). M…

Even living someplace that has fairly poor cell reception if WiFi assist isn't working for some reason, it's really hard to justify a landline as "backup" for the rare occasions I wished I had it. I got rid of it a few years ago and, while there has been a day or two I wish I had it, hard to make the case.

(And, yeah, if you're going to be VOIP anyway, if your internet and/or power is hosed you're probably not in a better place anyway.)

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#26

Post by c5karl »

readthenotes1 wrote: post #20
rconti wrote: post #4

It's so annoying that they only used one example (Murray Hill) which is actually MU and not MH, which required me to re-skim it a few times to grok what was going on. It would have been nice for the article to provide several examples of the mnemonic. While I've been aware for quite a few years that the telephone system used to use names for exchanges (eg, Pennsylvania 6-500), it took a few MORE years for me to reali…

Fun fact: you can still call Pennsylvania 6-5000 and get the hotel which has closed in the last few years. They used to play The Glenn Miller song when you called them...

Maybe not anymore. The building is being demolished. https://www.archpaper.com/2023/08/last-remnants-hotel-pennsy...

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#27

Post by toomanyrichies »

dools wrote: post #3

They even had this in the Simpsons in the 90s, so not even 50s era! Mr Plow gives his phone number as Klondike 5 3226 and the jingle says "KL5 3226"

Came here to post this haha. Great minds, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QacpBRPonzM&ab_channel=Thing...

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#28

Post by seabass-labrax »

vxNsr wrote: post #18
zabzonk wrote: post #7

using my landline, i generally just give people my last 6 digits - one of the reasons i like using landlines for local calls, actually

You must live in a very remote area to still support that. Not to mention to still have a landline, no one I know in my area will even give out a POTS line, you can only get VOIP and most households don’t have that anymore either, aside from the outrageous cost all the providers charge for a single line, there’s so many taxes and fees you end up paying close to 100% more. (E.g $40/m for the line ends up being $80). M…

Parent might be British - POTS is still widely available here, although not terribly popular. It's about as expensive to get a POTS line as three unlimited-calls 4G SIM cards, unless you combine calls with your broadband and can save money on the line rental.

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#29

Post by CapitalistCartr »

c5karl wrote: post #26
readthenotes1 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fun fact: you can still call Pennsylvania 6-5000 and get the hotel which has closed in the last few years. They used to play The Glenn Miller song when you called them...

Maybe not anymore. The building is being demolished. https://www.archpaper.com/2023/08/last-remnants-hotel-pennsy...

New owner claims he's going to keep the old number.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEnnsylvania_6-5000

Re: Why did old phone numbers start with letters? (2015)

#30

Post by JKCalhoun »

dools wrote: post #3

They even had this in the Simpsons in the 90s, so not even 50s era! Mr Plow gives his phone number as Klondike 5 3226 and the jingle says "KL5 3226"

I'm old enough to remember my home phone number beginning NIagara-8 when I was a latch-key kid in !970's Kansas City.
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