Telephone number/Talk

I am not exceptionally well versed in the histroy of the telephone system, so before I go add to this with regard to discussing how area codes, exchanges and even subscriber numbers arose out of a need for automation and from increasing propogation of the telephone system throughout the country, maybe someone else could put it better?? --DigitalSorceress

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I heard that in the early days (before touch tone phones) of telephone exchange, each dail pulse from the telephone set actually kicked an electro-mechanically device at the exchange one step to make a different physical connection. i.e. the device turned 9 steps before it connects to the circuit for 9. For the same reason, emergency number is 999 in the UK because random glitches would be likely to keep the number 111 ringing off the hook. I bet there are still many retired telephone technicians out there to confirm or deny this information.

--- 112 isn't just European. 112 is the international emergency number, which is supposed to be accepted everywhere, at least on GSM mobiles. -- SJK