Getting through when line is busy

[P...@xx.lcs.mit.edu.uucp]

I had heard a rumor that if you have trouble getting through to a number
that is busy because of lots of callers (as opposed to one long conversation)
for example a movie theatre on a Friday evening, then you can get through
by dialing all the numbers but the last one, waiting about 20-30 seconds,
then dialing the last number.

I've tried this a few times, and it seems to work! Now am I just getting
lucky or is there any reason why this should work?
-------
[The best way I have found to get through on a radio station line is
to program their number into your speed calling and sit there with
one finger on the hookswitch and another almost pressing 9#. --jsol]

[t...@gpu.utcs.utoronto.uucp]

I had a unique experience... I was calling Visa one day. They are
always busy. I was busy too so I didn't hang up the phone when I got
the busy. It was sitting on my shoulder for about 2 minutes while I
typed on my terminal... It started to ring... I waited. Visa answered.
Amazing. It works repeatedly with them but not other places.
tj

[sull...@edn-vax.arpa.uucp]

Pausing before dialing the last digit is an old trick,
and I would also like to get an informed explanation
of why it works. It must do something to the incoming
queues. In countries with less capable phone systems,
it's done all the time and doesn't work as well; I guess
if everything gets dequeued, getting your number becomes
a random process (which is done deliberately with many
popular radio talk shows and contests as a "fairness"
policy.

This has appeared on Telecom before. Does anyone have
the story on it?

Best,
-Pat Sullivan
Defense Communications Engineering Center
Reston, VA.