?

    • Cracks_InTheWalls@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      9 months ago

      Let’s say you have a 50/50 chance of getting your choice of a vanity number or a randomly assigned 800 number - what do you do in either outcome?

      • Cinner@lemmy.worldB
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        9 months ago
        1. Research the highest selling ever vanity number, consult with the largest vanity number holders, find out what the most expensive vanity number is.
        2. If I get it, sell it.
        3. If it’s random, ask a bunch of people on Lemmy what their ideas would be if that happened.
  • TootSweet@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    “Thank you for calling the U.S. nuclear arsenal command system. To launch nuclear missiles, press one. Para Español, marque dos.”

    • Nath@aussie.zone
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      9 months ago

      But who has a modem to dial it these days?

      I probably have an old laptop somewhere with a modem on it, but then my next impediment is I don’t have a landline any more.

    • Iunnrais@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      A 1-800 number is immune to long distance charges, free to call by anyone in the US— the owner of the 800 number pays any fees associated with the call. Traditionally, 800 numbers are owned by companies in order to sell stuff. (The 1- portion of a 1-800 number means that it’s a long distance call… which was a thing when I was growing up in the 80s/90s, but basically isn’t a thing anymore in the age of cellphones)

      The opposite of an 800 number is a 900 number. The person calling a 900 number has to pay, usually by minute, and most of that money goes to the owner of the 900 number. Famously used for phone sex lines.

      • sylver_dragon@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        The 1- portion of a 1-800 number means that it’s a long distance call

        The 1 is the Country Code for the US. If you are dialing outside the US, you would start with the Country Code for the country you are calling. If you are outside the US dialing a US number, you start with a 1 to designate that the number is within the US.

      • Are long-distance charges a thing anymore? I haven’t paid any fees for domestic long distance in over a decade - I thought they were extinct.

        800 is really just an easy-to-remember area code for businesses now, aren’t they? Like .com.

      • jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de
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        9 months ago

        To add to this, the 800 part is effectively an international convention for toll free numbers at this point. Most countries use either “800”, “0800”, or “1800”. On top of that the +800 country code is used for international toll-free numbers, but AFAIK it only works in a few countries.

        • neumast@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          To add further more: often also 810 or 820 numbers exist, where a phone call might have a toll up to 10 or 20 cents per minute respectively. With 900 numbers you usually dont know, how expensive they are, when only looking at the number.

  • jet@hackertalks.com
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    9 months ago

    Nobody uses the phone system anymore. It’s all app based voip calls now.

    A 1800 number might be good for a business, maybe a bail bondsman

    • Victor@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Most phone plans are unlimited calling nowadays, at least where I live. I use phone calling all the time. Especially WiFi calling, the sound is great.

  • Dizzy Devil Ducky@lemm.ee
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    9 months ago

    If I could, just use it for any and every single service that requires you to sign up using a phone number and don’t allow things like VoIP.

    Otherwise, I ain’t got no use for it.