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Why do you reuse phone numbers

Nickismurf
Visitor

Can you please explain why you reuse phone numbers 

9 REPLIES 9
BrendonH
Community Hero
Community Hero

There are only so many phone numbers. They have to otherwise theyd run out.


BrendonH (Android Expert) Google Pixel 8 Pro Obsidian Black (Android 14)
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Schockwave
Community Hero
Community Hero

Hello @Nickismurf ,

 

Welcome to the community,

 

To add to what @BrendonH has written, it is the same with landline numbers, phone numbers are recycled, same applies to mobile numbers, as there are only so many and only so many possibilities, so do get re-used. Do you have a problem with the number you were given?

Profile closed
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@Schockwave so why can't a new system of "numbers" be introduced with letters instead of numbers or with a combination of letters and numbers? That would produce a vast number of new "numbers" - even designer ones...

Because that is impossible 


BrendonH (Android Expert) Google Pixel 8 Pro Obsidian Black (Android 14)
If I have helped please click the THUMB/SOLUTION buttons below
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@BrendonH not so. It would take the will to do it. That's all.

@Profile closed , this may not work when calling from other countries and confuse the issue when using a landline, and why not re-use old phone numbers that are redundant anyway? What is wrong with that?

 

The other thing is, that when dialling a number with letters, not as easy as dialling with just numbers, also many people could find this difficult. There are disabled people, for instance and visually impaired people, who would struggle with that as well.

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@Schockwave yes, of course such an alpha numerical system would need to be global. Yes, potentially difficult for the visually impaired - but there would be ways around that. And, yes, I suppose numbers can be reused - but the draw back is the history of the number you get given. Anyway, I keep my number and I limit giving details out and I use blocking, etc. 

@Profile closed   If I’ve done my homework correctly on this there are 1000000000  permutations of a 10 digit number.  You can not include the first number 0 as that can not change. 

 

Do you remember when landlines got an extra digit because of a shortage of numbers ?  

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@Chris_B you are always right in everything you say. I bow down to you. Please accept the hair on my head as your hand towel.