Submission for mod.telecom (Line hunting)
la...@kitty.uucp.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?
You were just lucky. In many central offices, hunting will only
occur if you dial the FIRST (i.e., listed) number of an incoming service
group. Dialing any other number will get you just that line - and no other
if it is busy.
Now, there is a grain of truth to getting through to certain places
by dialing a "last" number. Many places that deal with the public reserve
one or more numbers for "selected" people to call; these reserved numbers
are never part of the incoming service group. These reserved numbers are,
of course, unlisted numbers. However, the "last" number in what may appear
to be a consecutively-numbered incoming service group may really be a separate
line which is not part of that group. For example, say you have a business
with five lines: 234-5600, 234-5601, 234-5602, 234-5603 and 234-5604. Only
the first four lines form the incoming service group (5600 to 5603); 5604 is
a private line for selected people who have to get through. So, dialing the
5604 number gets you through... Of course, there is no guarantee that the
private line is the last number, but more often than not - it is.
> [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]
You got it!
<> Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
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