Why do people in commercials and t.v shows use the number 555?

Question

I always see it.Its not even an area code.PLease tell me why this is the way it is!!

Answer 1

It's a fictional exchange (not area code) used on television and in movies to avoid harrassing phone calls to real people and the lawsuits they generate.

Some films and shows have gotten around this (rather distracting) device by buying a phone number and using it onscreen. Typically, people who call that number are greeted with a machine message promoting the movie or show in question.

Answer 2

555 isn't an actual prefix to ANY phone number. This way when a TV show says a number is for example; 555-3476, five billion people won't call that number and bug some poor unsuspecting person. However: Not all numbers that begin with 555 are fictional—for example, +1-[areacode]-555-1212 is one of the standard numbers for directory assistance throughout the United States and Canada. In fact, only 555-0100 through 555-0199 are now specifically reserved for fictional use, with the other numbers having been released for actual assignment. How, exactly, this will interact with the many uses of 555-2368 (long the "standard" fake number) by AT&T and other telephone companies, is no clearer than the reason for the choice of "2368".

Answer 3

They use 555 because it was not a valid phone exchange number, and the phone company agreed to keep it that way, so that people seeing a movie or tv show that featured a phone number would not dial that number and cause annoyance if it turned out to be someone's real number...think of what would happen to you if by chance a movie used your number in it...you would come home to find any answering machine or service filled up with stupid messages, your phone would ring constantly, your family and friends would not be able to reach you.....

Answer 4

Because of "Jenny 867-5309". Because of that single song the people with that number in all area codes were deluged with calls at all hours of the night. Now whenever a number appears in commercials, movies, songs or other media, it must begin with the invalide 555 prefix. These are numbers that no one has so they can be used in the public market without fear of harrassment.

Answer 5

That is why...because it's the only area code and prefix that doesn't exist. Because people started calling the phone numbers they heard on T.V.& movies, the phone company reserved 555 for just that reason.

Answer 6

Just in case anyone wondered, it started because of the song "Jenny" which used the phone number 867-5309, which was a real number. It made people who had that number crazy, and so commercials and television stopped using it.

This, the 555 phone numbers.

Answer 7

It is used because no real numbers actually start with 555..... this is used by moviemakers and the media for legal reasons. Imagine if your home phone was unknowingly placed in a Steven Speilburg movie.. Imagine all of the idiots and weirdos that would actually try the number. --yeah..that's why 555 :-)

Answer 8

Because it is not used anywhere in the US. They won't use it for that simple reason. A long time ago they use to use random #'s and people with that # would be called so much they had to change their phone #.

Answer 9

Because they cant use numbers that are already in use.....nobody has a 555 number....

Sometimes they use KL5 too.....I love that lol

Answer 10

Because it's not a real number.