

555 is Dead - Clearing Phone Numbers for Movies (hint: Google Voice) - cormiston
http://www.craigormiston.com/post/5243530569/film-friday-555-is-dead-clearing-phone-numbers-for

======
tzs
The idea of using a new Google Voice number in your movies is not well thought
out. If you release the number after your movie is released, then some poor
bastard is going to get the number later and get pestered every time your
movie is shown.

If you hold the number forever, then a number will be getting wasted every
time someone makes a movie that needs to have a phone number on screen or in
dialog. Phone numbers are a finite resource, so that's not good.

To fix that, you'd need to get the movie producers together and agree to share
numbers, so that only a handful of numbers are tied up for movies--and then we
are back to the situation we have now with a handful of 555 numbers being
available.

~~~
corin_
Valid points except that the majority of people (perhaps cynical, but I think
correct) act on what's best for them, not for everyone else, if someone making
a film thought that it would be good for the film to take up 1000 phone
numbers I don't think they would care about your points.

That said I can't see (m)any movies ever caring enough about something like
this to bother, when there are still at least some 555 numbers they can use.

------
terinjokes
Isn't this against the TOU for Google Voice? I would, personally, go with
another service for the number (Twilio?) and setup a service there? Maybe it's
time for Google Voice for Business?

Also, what happens for the tons of viewers watching the reruns in the next
decade (or more?) Would the number for Ghostbusters suddenly be the number for
a character on Glee? (Sure I guess that's no different than now, maybe I'm
just thinking too much into this.)

------
sirclueless
I thought the point of using 555 numbers was that they can be safely reserved
for movies because no one will ever use them for anything at all, even when
the movie studio goes defunct and no one cares any more.

A google voice number certainly doesn't fit that bill. It can probably get
disconnected and put back for the public for any number of reasons. Maybe
getting 2,000 voice mails a day is against the TOS, or maybe Google Voice
stops being free, or maybe Google continues its track record with discontinued
services and bops it over the head like it did Google Wave. ( _cough_
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products#Previou...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products#Previous)
_cough_ )

~~~
jordanb
555 numbers are reserved for the phone system usage (kinda like 127 IP
addresses). A few of them are in use by the phone system (ex: 555-1212) but
the vast majority are not in use and probably won't be used simply because the
phone system doesn't need nearly 1,000 local numbers.

~~~
wccrawford
Nearly 1000? You mean exactly 10,000, right? 0000 to 9999.

------
GiraffeNecktie
I understand why they have to use fake 555 numbers in the movies, even though
it's a bit jarring ("Oh look he's dialing one of those fake movie phone
numbers") but why do movie and game producers always feel compelled to invent
phoney Middle East countries (and conversely not invent countries in Europe or
Asia)?
[http://www.11points.com/Movies/11_Fictional_Middle_Eastern_C...](http://www.11points.com/Movies/11_Fictional_Middle_Eastern_Countries,_Ranked_By_Evilness)
Maybe it doesn't matter to the geographically challenged masses (especially in
the US) but there are some of us who know our maps.

~~~
BerislavLopac
Because most of the time those countries are depicted in at least somewhat bad
light, and they want to avoid any potential diplomatic trouble, or at least
not impair their commercial chances at the said country. Or, probably at least
as often, the simply don't want to do too much research into the language,
culture or history of a real country. :)

------
mrspeaker
Phew, I thought we were talking about the chip for a minute!

------
k33l0r
Who the hell watches a movie, sees a phone number, and then decides that they
absolutely must call it?

~~~
nicw
A lot of people. "Bruce Almighty" used a real number and it caused a lot of
hassle for the owner.
[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/27/entertainment/main...](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/27/entertainment/main555630.shtml)

------
davidcuddeback
Why don't movie producers just use 6- or 8-digit phone numbers. It's fiction,
so who cares if they use the right number of digits?

~~~
wccrawford
Because people will still try to dial them... Possibly even dialing all the
missing digits in an attempt to find the 'real' one, even though it doesn't
exist.

If you start it with 555, then you don't need to worry about it.

That's assuming the number even needs to be said at all. There are plenty of
ways around it.

