555 numbers

[sindimatrix]

why do the american movies use the numbers use 555 all the time

[Dulcinea]

Because in America phone numbers are 7 numbers 123-4567. The first three numbers are the same in a large area, but 555 is not used anywhere in the US. So even if you tried to really call it you wouldn't get anyone or bother anyone by using their phone number in a movie. Because some stupid kids and immature people are sure to call the number. (Like "867-5309 Jenny").

[NetSquirrel]

Just out of interest, how do they manage to give everyone a unique telephone number with just seven digits? Even if they went 1, 2, 3, 4...9 999 999, that is only 10 million unique numbers.

[Ouisch]

<> It's getting more and more difficult, especially in these days of the Internet, cell phones, pagers and fax machines. That's why most metropolitan areas are divided up into several different area codes. For example, I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, and for years the area code for the entire Metro Detroit region was 313. By the mid-1980s, the northern suburbs were 810, and the City of Detroit was 313. Today in just the immediate northern suburbs alone we have 810, 586, 248, 734 and 947.

[Dulcinea]

Well every state is divided in to seperate regions or areas with an (area code) if you are dialing out of your area/code you have to type in 10 numbers (area code) and then the actual phone number.  That way several people can actually have the same 7 digit number in different area codes.