This has to be obvious and I'm not getting it. But, why are there letters on every number but 1 on a phone (well, I get why there aren't any with 0). They did that lettering thing long before anyone was text messaging... they shove PQRS and WXYZ on 7 & 9 respectively when they could have just started with ABC on #1 and spaced them out nicely!
TIA!
2007-09-03 15:09:11 · 6 answers · asked by Aaron'smama 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
US phone numbers never start with 1 or 0
and originally the letters were only used so advertisers could put easy to remember numbers in the ads. remember the 1800CALLATT. They did not have the text messaging idea then :-)
Now it would be huge change to change all the telephones in the world.
Those dumb folks at AT&T ;-) making our live difficult now.
2007-09-03 15:28:36 · answer #1 · answered by N2201 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, in the US the 1 is used for long distance calling and 1-800 numbers. The 0 is also used for international long distance. If they had put letters on either of those buttons, then those companies that use letters in their advertising for their phone numbers would not be able to start those numbers with at least an A/Z and maybe a B,C,X,Y as well.
2007-09-03 15:44:27 · answer #2 · answered by S W 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The letters were originally associated with exchanges.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_exchange_names
Q and X and Z were all unlikely to be needed.
2007-09-03 15:49:15 · answer #3 · answered by Beardo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Guess they weren't planning ahead.
Who would have thought we would be able to type messages
on portable wireless phones?
Boy, technology, huh!!
2007-09-03 21:21:18 · answer #4 · answered by Shmooks 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. Now you're got me wondering Hmmm
2007-09-04 04:31:51 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know. I've never thought about it.
2007-09-03 15:16:17 · answer #6 · answered by Amanda M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋