Intercom function on BT lines
June 14, 2006 2:23 AM Subscribe
I'm sure there used to be a code one could dial on UK telephones which would cause the line to ring - thereby achieving intercom functionality? This number was something like *173, but either my memory fails me or it no longer works. Any ideas on the specifics?
In some systems you do that by dialing your own phone number. Have you tried that?
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 4:29 AM on June 14, 2006
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 4:29 AM on June 14, 2006
I don't have a BT phone here, so I can't test it, but I remember it as *73 as well. That's the engineer test line, so the ring it gives is not the ordinary one.
There's also a delay before it works -- you'll get silence on the line for a while, then a voice telling you what number you are calling from. When it says "Start test", hangup then wait a while. The phone will ring. When you pickup, it'll ask you to dial next test. It's hard to talk over.
17070 also rings a bell (boom)
posted by bonaldi at 5:01 AM on June 14, 2006
There's also a delay before it works -- you'll get silence on the line for a while, then a voice telling you what number you are calling from. When it says "Start test", hangup then wait a while. The phone will ring. When you pickup, it'll ask you to dial next test. It's hard to talk over.
17070 also rings a bell (boom)
posted by bonaldi at 5:01 AM on June 14, 2006
Response by poster: @ Steven
So far as I am aware, dialling your own telephone number in the UK (on BT, Telewest, NTL) results in an engaged tone, but thanks.
@teleskiving
Thanks for the links, proved an interesting read. I wonder *why* they are so keen to prevent intercom use? Surely it makes no difference to them.
All: *73 seems no longer to work. Thanks!
posted by dance at 8:08 AM on June 14, 2006
So far as I am aware, dialling your own telephone number in the UK (on BT, Telewest, NTL) results in an engaged tone, but thanks.
@teleskiving
Thanks for the links, proved an interesting read. I wonder *why* they are so keen to prevent intercom use? Surely it makes no difference to them.
All: *73 seems no longer to work. Thanks!
posted by dance at 8:08 AM on June 14, 2006
What we used to do as kids was dial our own number then hang up before getting a busy signal and the phone would ring.
Lots of pranks started that way, AIR. Don't know if it would still work the same way.
posted by trinity8-director at 11:36 AM on June 14, 2006
Lots of pranks started that way, AIR. Don't know if it would still work the same way.
posted by trinity8-director at 11:36 AM on June 14, 2006
We use it as an intercom sometimes as well, in New Zealand it's 137.
posted by The Monkey at 6:11 PM on June 14, 2006
posted by The Monkey at 6:11 PM on June 14, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
From what I remember, it used to be *73, but it does seem to have changed.
posted by teleskiving at 2:41 AM on June 14, 2006