did you ever wonder how all the phone numbers in tv and movies start with 555?

Question

isn't that just an amazing coincidence? the chances of that are probably about as slim as the Big Bang, no?

oh sure. but Tommy Tutone gets to tell everybody that Jenny Jenny's number is 867-5309? Smiddy's not believing the fictional number bit - or do musicians just get a pass? let's get the story straight people??

Answer 1

WOW

Answer 2

What everyone else says about the 555 prefix is true... It is a reserved prefix by the Telephone Companies that has no operating numbers with the exception of 555-1212, which is directory assistance. (Note that you can call 1-xxx-555-1212, where xxx is any area code, and get local directory assistance in that area code.) It's essentially the same thing as 411, before 411 existed.

Have you ever noticed that on the Simpsons, their numbers are Klondike 5 - xxxx? Or KL5-xxxx. K and L are 5 on the keypad (and even the old rotary phones.) In the days before a fully interconnected telephone system, you could dial people in your own telephone exchange, but if you wanted to talk to someone in another exchange there would be a name. In Kansas City, there is this commercial for Standard Improvement Company. They still show their old cartoon where their phone number is "Westport One, seventy one hundred." And three guys hold up three signs that show WE1, 71, 00. I should YouTube it!

Man, I'm such a geek!

Answer 3

It's a default prefix for telephone numbers that phone companies have set aside so that it can be used only for movies and tv series. So it's no coincidence that every phone number you hear on a tv series or in the movies starts off with the prefix 555.

Answer 4

They do that so no one can call the number on the show. Since 555 is the only area code that does not exist, they often use that on TV and in movies.

Answer 5

They know that no phone numbers in the USA begin with 555, so if they make up such a number, they won't accidentally be giving out a real person's phone number.

Answer 6

They don't want to end up having to give out real phone numbers over live television. Nobody's phone number in reality starts with 555.

Answer 7

The reason is that there are no real phone numbers that start with 555. If they were to "accidentally" pick someones phone number...that person would get a ridiculous amount of phone calls. Remember the song "867-5309"....that was a real persons phone number, and they got tens of thousands of phone calls.

Answer 8

They can't use real numbers. There is no prefix that starts with 555, so they use it.

Answer 9

It's just to make sure no viewer can dial the number and bother a real person. Remember the movie, Bruce Almighty? They kept giving a real phone number for God, and you can guess what happened.

Answer 10

No