TIL fake "555" phone numbers you see in movies and TV shows were once legitimate numbers that anyone could register, but Verizon would charge you $2,500 to use them | Spyke

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til·Today I Learnedbycommafreak

TIL fake "555" phone numbers you see in movies and TV shows were once legitimate numbers that anyone could register, but Verizon would charge you $2,500 to use them

Looked this up after watching Better Call Saul and noticing a phone number in one of the episodes!

https://lookify.io/blog/555-phone-numberOpen link View original on lemmy.world

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Directory assistance is available at 1--555-1212.

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fire reply

I think that they reserve 55 numbers now for this very reason

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I've always hated 555 numbers, because they immediately dispel the illusion. They should just use invalid numbers that have an area code that starts with 1 or, better yet, an exchange code that starts with 1.

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Not sure why they would open these numbers up for access anyway, a lot of PABXes are programmed to recognize the 555 prefix as bogus and just drop the call without even attempting to dial it over national lines

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That's cool. I didn't know they were legitimate before.

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TIL fake "555" phone numbers you see in movies and TV shows were once legitimate numbers that anyone could register, but Verizon would charge you $2,500 to use them | Spyke