A telephone number is a sequence of digits assigned to a fixed-line 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 for data transmission via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or other private networks. Most telephone numbers are assigned to one telephone line or one mobile telephone, and most lines or mobiles have one number.
A telephone number serves as an address for switching telephone calls using a system of destination routing. Telephone numbers are entered or dialed by a calling party on the originating telephone set, which transmits the sequence of digits in the process of signaling to a telephone exchange. The exchange completes the call either to another locally connected subscriber or via the PSTN to the called party.
The use of telephone numbers instead of subscriber names to indicate to the telephone operator what destination line a caller wished to be connected to was developed and first used in the autumn of 1879 in Lowell, Massachusetts during a measles epidemic. Moses Greeley Parker, a local doctor, realized that if all four of the city's operators were incapacitated by the epidemic, their replacements would have great trouble quickly learning which of the switchboard's 200 jacks were assigned to which subscribers. He recommended the use of numbers instead. "The local Bell company management at first protested that its customers would consider their designation by numbers to be beneath their dignity; nevertheless, it saw the logic of the doctor's suggestion and followed it. The subscribers were not outraged; the epidemic quickly passed, but telephone numbers did not."
Telephone numbers with the prefix 555 are widely used for fictitious telephone numbers in North American television shows, films, video games, and other media.
Not all numbers that begin with 555 are fictional—for example, 555-1212 is one of the standard numbers for directory assistance throughout the United States and Canada. In fact, only 555-0100 through 555-0199 are now specifically reserved for fictional use; the other numbers have been reserved for actual assignment, with the notable exception of the 800 area code where only 800-555-0199 is reserved. The entire 555 exchange is reserved in all overlay North American toll-free area codes (844, 855, 866, 877, 888) and in Canada's rarely used non-geographic area code 600.
Area code 555 in the North American Numbering Plan is reserved for Directory Assistance applications.
Telephone companies began encouraging the producers of television shows and movies to use the 555 prefix for fictional telephone numbers by the 1960s. Two early examples include The Second Time Around (1961), which used 555-3485, and Panic in Year Zero! (1962), which used 555-2106. "Rossmore 555", mentioned in Eyes in the Night (1942), may be considered a precursor. In television shows made or set in the mid-1960s or earlier, "KLondike 5" or "KLamath 5" reflects the old convention for telephone exchange names.
I cop me one, cop me one for my old girl
You think she my newest bitch, she my old girl
Khalifa, a younger n-gga who handle his
Hoes get in my car, ask what the channel is
Boss shit, look that up n-gga, I handle biz
On fire, like a candle is
N-ggas be dressing off the manikin
Hmmm, and I get fresh like where them camera’s is
Better yet sandwiches, bad bitch Spanish friends
Coulda been the President, rather be the man instead
[Hook]
Now when I get paid, my checks be lookin’ like phone numbers
Now when I get paid, my checks be lookin’ like phone numbers
(You can talk shit bitch, I’m worth a million)
I’m talkin’ millions, n-gga I’m talkin’ millions
(You can talk shit bitch, I’m worth a million)
I’m talkin’ millions, n-gga I’m talkin’ millions
Time is money so I went and bought a Rolex (bought a Rolex)
Time is money so I went and bought a Rolex (bought a Rolex)
I’m talkin’ millions, n-gga I’m talkin’ millions
(You can talk shit bitch, I’m worth a million)
I’m talkin’ millions, n-gga I’m talkin’ millions
(You can talk shit bitch, I’m worth a million, whaaaaaat)
[Trae Tha Truth - Verse 2]
I’m in the hood (?)on this something corner surfing
Float, no water, my trunk is waving, I’m polar surfing
Blowing faces, I’m shittin’ on them diamond infested
Time is money, peep the wrist bitch, my time is invested
I’m still the king and I’m thugged out
Any block any club I flood it out
I aint the one for competition I’ma blow it out
I’m going hard I don’t ever plan on going out
I’m getting money, probably something you don’t know about
I stunt hard, you would swear that I was showin’ out
Don’t tell me get ‘em, I got em and I’mma throw ‘em out
And back door on these hoes that I was warning out
While I’m in this machine, convert the top
Tell them that the sky is the limit
With a four of freaks, she got her face in my lap so deep you would think
That she was hiding in it
[Hook]
[Big Sean]
Shrimp, steak, liquor and pasta
Real shit boi, these n-ggas imposters
They deserve an Oscar, Kevin Costner
Oh my God sir, what?
I got this and that and everything I want like I got a hostage, yeh
Countin’ 7 digits, no wonder why the money calling
Got ya bitch panties Niagra fallin’
Dollars cum like I f-ck in the bank
I told them I could, they tell me I can’t
They want me to trip when I’m d-cking the paint
I’m poppin’ champagne and puffin’ on dank
Shining hard, boy, these n-ggas gotta see me
My d-ck hard, your bitch is easy
(boi, boi, boi)