Abbreviated dialing is the use of a very short digit sequence to reach specific
telephone number
A telephone number is a sequence of digits assigned to a landline telephone subscriber station connected to a telephone line or to a wireless electronic telephony device, such as a radio telephone or a mobile telephone, or to other devices f ...
s, such as those of
public services
A public service is any Service (economics), service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through pub ...
. The purpose of such numbers is to be universal, short, and easy to remember. Typically they are two or three digits.
Carriers refer to the shortened number sequences as ''abbreviated dialing codes'' (ADCs). Unlike SMS shortcodes, they are generally not automatically synchronized across carriers. ADCs are provisioned separately for mobile networks versus landline networks.
Examples
The most commonly known examples are
emergency telephone number
Most public switched telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number (sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or the emergency services number) that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assis ...
s such as
9-9-9,
1-1-2 and
9-1-1
, usually written 911, is an emergency telephone number for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Palau, Argentina, Philippines, Jordan, as well as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), one of eight N11 codes. Like other emergency nu ...
. Other services may also be available through abbreviated dialing numbers, such as the other of the eight
N11 code
An N11 code (pronounced ''Enn-one-one'') is a three-digit telephone number used in abbreviated dialing in some telephone administrations of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).
Services
N11-numbers are used to access to special services. F ...
s of the
North American Numbering Plan
The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a telephone numbering plan for twenty-five regions in twenty countries, primarily in North America and the Caribbean. This group is historically known as World Zone 1 and has the international callin ...
(NANP) besides 9-1-1. State highway departments in recent years have used abbreviated dialing codes to allow drivers to obtain information about road conditions or to reach the state highway patrol. Examples are *55 in Missouri and Oklahoma, or *FHP which connects to the Florida Highway Patrol. In December 2019, the
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
proposed making 9-8-8 a national number in the United States for the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9- ...
.
Security
Privileged group-number, system-number, and enhanced-number lists provide access to numbers that typically would be restricted.
Similar concepts
For
text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops, or another type of compatible compute ...
, the technical equivalent is a
short code
codes, or short numbers, are short digit sequences, significantly shorter than telephone numbers, that are used to address messages in the Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) and short message service (SMS) systems of mobile network operators ...
; however, these are rented by their private users rather than being universal and for public services.
Vertical service code
A vertical service code (VSC) is a sequence of digits and the signals star (*) and number sign (#) dialed on a telephone keypad or rotary dial to enable or disable certain telephone service features. Some vertical service codes require dialing of ...
s may also be considered as abbreviated dialing, though these are often
prefixed by the special
touch-tone
Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF) is a telecommunication signaling system using the voice-frequency band over telephone lines between telephone equipment and other communications devices and switching centers. DTMF was first developed ...
characters * and # (or often 11 for
pulse dialing
Pulse dialing is a signaling technology in telecommunications in which a direct current local loop circuit is interrupted according to a defined coding system for each signal transmitted, usually a digit. This lends the method the often used name ...
) instead of using only
numerals. Most are used to access
calling feature
A vertical service code (VSC) is a sequence of digits and the signals star (*) and number sign (#) dialed on a telephone keypad or rotary dial to enable or disable certain telephone service features. Some vertical service codes require dialing of ...
s rather than a
called party
The called party (in some contexts called the "B-Number") is a person who (or device that) answers a telephone call. The person who (or device that) initiates a telephone call is the calling party.
In some situations, the called party may number m ...
, and some are specific to each
telephone company
A telephone company, also known as a telco, telephone service provider, or telecommunications operator, is a kind of communications service provider (CSP), more precisely a telecommunications service provider (TSP), that provides telecommunicat ...
. Some are used only locally or regionally (such as *FHP (*347) to reach the
Florida Highway Patrol); other codes as short as one numeral (like *1) are used to report
breaking news
Breaking news, interchangeably termed late-breaking news and also known as a special report or special coverage or news flash, is a current issue that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming or current news in orde ...
or
traffic
Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation.
Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...
to the
newsroom
A newsroom is the central place where journalists—reporters, editors, and producers, associate producers, news anchors, news designers, photojournalists, videojournalists, associate editor, residence editor, visual text editor, Desk Head, s ...
s of local
news radio
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to the discussion and broadcast of news.
All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried on both major US satellite radio networks. All-news stations can run the ...
or
TV station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth ...
s.
A
mobile dial code
A mobile dial code (MDC) is a grouping of 3 to 10 numbers following either a "#" "##" "*" "**" used to create a short, easy to remember phone number. Historically MDCs were used for repair related purposes by landline and wireless carriers. More r ...
(MDC) is a phone number, typically preceded by a * or #, that allows the request and receipt of information directly to a
mobile phone
A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...
. MDCs are also known in carrier terminology as "abbreviated dialing codes" (ADCs). Mobile dial codes are dialed just like a regular telephone number. The caller can be presented with any one of a variety of responses that an advertiser defines: a voice or
IVR call, a
text message
Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/ laptops, or another type of compatible comput ...
, a video or audio clip, a
mobile coupon, game or an application.
These types of dialing options can be used for a number of things. "Pound two-fifty" (#250) is an MDC commonly used in radio & TV advertising. Callers are able to dial #250 for a voice-activated, hands-free connection to a business. Callers are prompted to say a keyword or key-phrase, which corresponds to an advertiser (e.g., "Food For The Poor" causes a connection to that non-profit charity). #250 is the only MDC that is functional on all significant mobile carriers in the US and Canada, including
Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate and a corporate component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered at 1095 Avenue of the Americas in ...
,
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile tel ...
,
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is the brand name used by some of the mobile communications subsidiaries of the German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom AG in the Czech Republic (T-Mobile Czech Republic), Poland (T-Mobile Polska), the United States (T-Mobile ...
,
Sprint,
U.S. Cellular, cSpire and several smaller regional carriers (in Canada, on Rogers, Bell Mobility, Telus, Freedom Mobile, Eastlink, Sasktel, Fido, and Videotron).
See also
*
Crisis hotline
A crisis hotline is a phone number people can call to get immediate emergency telephone counseling, usually by trained volunteers. The first such service was founded in England in 1951 and such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the E ...
*
Enhanced 9-1-1
Enhanced 911, E-911 or E911 is a system used in North America to automatically provide the caller's location to 9-1-1, 911 dispatchers. 911 is the universal emergency telephone number in the region. In the European Union, a similar system exists kn ...
*
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (United States)
*
In case of emergency
In Case of Emergency (ICE) is a programme designed to enable first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters, and police officers, as well as hospital personnel, to contact the next of kin of the owner of a mobile phone in order to obtain imp ...
*
Next Generation 9-1-1
*
Social services
Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...
*
Speed dial
Speed dial is a function available on many telephone systems allowing the user to place a call by pressing a reduced number of keys. This function is particularly useful for phone users who dial certain numbers on a regular basis.
In most case ...
References
External links
FCC fact sheet on 2-1-12-1-1 Information & Referral SearchWireless 9-1-1 Services Guide
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
from KidsHealth
Emergency Numbers Around the World
from 911dispatch.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbreviated Dialing
Telephone numbers