A hoot-n-holler (also known as a squawk box system, holler down, shout down or junkyard circuit, and abbreviated as 'hoot' or 'shout') is a type of

telecommunications Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...

system where there is a permanent open circuit between two or more parties. Any user can speak at any time and be heard over the system immediately - there is no need to pick up a phone, press a button or perform any other separate activation function. Among other uses, it is popular with stock brokerage and other financial trading operations, as well as

warehouse A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities ...

intercom applications. Users may have a speaker box which broadcasts live sound from remote locations, and such a system gives immediate access to other users in real time. Hoot-n-holler capability provides a tightly targeted method of communication that can support thousands of users worldwide and is a critical component of voice trading systems. Modern hoot-n-holler systems are frequently based on

IP multicast IP multicast is a method of sending Internet Protocol (IP) datagrams to a group of interested receivers in a single transmission. It is the IP-specific form of multicast and is used for streaming media and other network applications. It uses spec ...

. Using IP means old analog dedicated circuits can be removed, eliminating their associated cost. Either way, the hoot system can be broadcast over traditional microphone and speaker box hardware, or through a

trading turret A trading turret or dealer board is a specialized telephony key system that is generally used by financial traders on their trading desks. Trading has progressed from floor trading through phone trading to electronic trading during the later ...

or other office phone system. After the

1987 Stock Market Crash Black Monday is the name commonly given to the global, sudden, severe, and largely unexpected stock market crash on Monday, October 19, 1987. In Australia and New Zealand, the day is also referred to as ''Black Tuesday'' because of the time z ...

, regulatory authorities in the United States created a hoot-n-holler-based communication system known as INFOE to provide a continuous link between NASDAQ, security exchanges, and futures markets. This system allowed the various exchanges to instantly communicate current prices and other critical information during steep market declines.

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Telecommunication services {{telecom-stub

See also

References