why does all phone numbers start with 555 in movies?

Answer 1

Wikipedia actually has an article on this subject. Very interesting. Check it out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/555_telephone_number

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Because 555 is the prefix set aside by the phone companies for that use. It prevents people from harrassing others that might "happen" to have a phone number that was used in a movie, tv show or song.

Remember 867-5903? Everyone with that phone number complained about the TONS of calls they got asked for Jenny.

Answer 4

In the real world we have the: "1-800" number, in the cinama world, it's "555". I think you are right on not giving away real numbers, because if they did, and they literally put down someone's phone number, that person would be getting tons of 'fan' calls to see if it works. There are no numbers that start with 555, so it's easy for the cinama to have it, and call that number their own.

Answer 5

Because 555 exchange is not issued to anyone, it' restricted to the telephone company. Years ago Tommy Tutone release a song that start 865 and i forgot the last 4 digits, the people who had this number were flooded with calls in all 50 states for months, now that doesn't happen.

Answer 6

To indicate they're fake. Occasionally a "real" number will show up in a movie(like in Bruce Almighty), and millions of people will call it, causing the phone company and the poor owner of said number a lot of grief. Chances are, if you call a "555" number, you won't get through to anyone.
(for another example, anyone remember the song "867-5309 Jenny"?)

Answer 7

Because 555 isnt a real phone number. imagine putting somones number on a film, they would have phone calls all the time.

Answer 8

because 555 is an information line and they don't want people to try and dial a real number that they just happened to use.

Answer 9

Because that prefix doesn't exist. No one will get a million phone calls from idiots because their number was in a movie or show.

Answer 10

To just give it some sense of reality, but prevent movie fans from disrupting real folks lives when/if they try to call it. The numbers sometimes are audio advertisements for the movies themselves.

Answer 11

because ever since that one song they aren't allowed to use real phone numbers because if real ones were used fans would actually call that number an harrass the innocent people who have the real number