To wonder when we stopped reciting our number when answering the phone

[bearbehind]

Not sure why this popped into my head but it occurred to me that when I was growing up in the 80's everyone used to pick up the phone and say their number.

I can still remember some friend numbers 30 years later as I can hear their Mum's answering the phone but I couldn't tell you my husbands mobile number now.

When did everyone stop doing this? Were we all subliminally conditioned to stop on the same day?

[specialsubject]

wow, this takes me back. And explains why I also remember the childhood phone number...

I used someone's retro dial phone recently. What a pain in the arse they were.

now that we all have caller ID it does rather spoil the fun. 'Hello, Battersea Dogs Home'..

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

refusing to have an answer machine as The Burglars would know we were out

Was this ever a technique employed by burglars? Leafing through the phone book trying numbers at random seems a bit of a ballache. Surely it would be better to turn up at the house you were thinking of robbing and looking for signs of it being unoccupied (no lights on, car away and post mounting up).

Anyway how would anyone know if a would be house breaker was calling, if they were out they'd never find out and if they were in, I doubt anyone said ' it is your lucky night, I am an enthusiastic thief and was phoning on the off chance you'd be out and I'd be round to rob your telly, I don't suppose you could let me know when you're off on holiday could you?'

[ProfYaffle]

Like pps have said, I remember advice circulating in the 80s/90s that it was a security risk to give out your phone number. Can't remember why. I still feel a bit 'naked' just saying 'Hello' when I pick up the phone.

[bearbehind]

Thinking about it- I don't even know what my landline number is as I never use it!

[Werksallhourz]

Somewhere in the depths of my mind, I seem to remember that people were told to stop doing it for safety reasons.

And part of me suspects it might have been on something like That's Life.

[APotterWithAHappyAtmosphere]

When I can't remember what my grandparents' voices sounded like, I think about them answering the phone and it brings them back instantly.

My grandmother would say the whole number "double-3-2-6-7-8-9" and my dgf had a brusque "6-7-8-9" (not the real number!)

Makes me smile!

[AuldYow]

Yes, I'd forgotten we used to do this "hello, name of village and last 3 digits" in fact I still do sometimes if I ever answer my parents phone

I've only ever said "hello" since I moved out though.

This thread makes me want to start answering the phone a la Hyacinth Bucket "good evening, the AuldYow household, the lady of the house speaking, how may I help you?"

DH often answers it as if we were a restaurant and asks if they'd like to book a table

[perpetuallybewildered]

This takes me back. We always answered the phone with "Hello, Village 2676". I think my parents may have stopped when the numbers were lengthened. Nowadays I rarely answer the landline unless caller display tells me who it is. There were far fewer sales calls in ye olden days.

[CockacidalManiac]

I used to do this too. Very strange in retrospect.

[CocktailQueen]

My parents still do!

[Girlwhowearsglasses]

Is when the numbers were lengthened. I remember someone me in the eighties an idea flying around that you shouldn't say your name as that confrmed who you were to someone ringing (and???) and at this point I was a teenager and was taught to say the. Umber. Hen they added a load of digits and it's too much of a mouthful.

Also when mobile phones came I. You had to use the 'whole' number. Some of you may not even remember a time when if you called a number in your area code you didn't need to use the area code - so only dialled four digits (then later five or six). This is probably still true on land lines but now I always dial the whole number.

[BoxofSnails]

My MIL does it still. And also, when she rings us, she says "hello, it's Mum calling from XXXXX". My mum is dead so there's not really any other person called that, plus we know it's her and have often said hello to her by name by then! Occasionally we wind her up about it but mostly you just accept that after 80 something years she's not going to change!

[cosytoaster]

When my parents got their 'phone number about 48 years ago they were told by the operator exactly how the number should be said (as first three digits were the same) - so for 55562* we all had to say 'Hello Preston 5 double 5 62'

• Number and city changed to protect my dad who still has the same number
  
  I think I stopped saying it when I left home, not sure about dad, probably when cold calling started to be a thing.

[Evenstar]

I had an unpleasant obscene call in the late 80's which I think was from another employee at a temporary job I had. I reported it to the police and was advised by them not to give out the number when answering in case the person had dialled a random number and then made a note of it so they could ring again. I had always answered with the number till then.

[EmilyAlice]

When I was a child we only had two numbers - 99. Then eventually we got two more to put in front. I thought it was very sad when London lost all those lovely exchanges like Tate Gallery and Trafalgar.
Now I live in France and try to guess if I should be saying "hello" or "âllo" to incoming callers. I usually get it wrong.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheT1meGoes]

You still don't need the area code on landlines, I never do when I'm calling locally. My DCs know this as well so it isn't totally confined to older people.

[ConferencePear]

I also eem to remember it was dropped for some 'security reason'. I can't remember what it was though.

[Doobigetta]

My mum still does this. She also adopts a hushed, suspicious tone, as if it's a known fact that people only ever call her for sinister reasons and she is steeling herself in readiness.

[Melawen]

My Dad still does it- in fact he'll say it no matter which landline he picks up - trouble is - it's always HIS number (last three digits) that he says no matter if he's picked up my phone or one of my brothers phone!! He does laugh when we point out what he's done - it's purely automatic!!

[BackforGood]

I still do on the landline (well, last 4 digits) and my dc say "{last 4 digits of number}, Who's speaking please?" You'd be amazed how many people don't give their names though - so rude.

I think people don't bother on the mobiles as you know who is calling, so don't have to use your 'posh telephone voice'

[WeAllHaveWings]

Using a dial telephone and having to dial each time it was quite easy to get the wrong number, so you said your number so the person at the other end knew if they'd got it right or wrong. Also said extension number for internal calls at work.

Think I stopped it when I left home.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

when we moved in 1992, our village was still on 3 figure numbers and you had to dial an extra long code to get us :o

[emwithme]

[WhoKnowsWhereTheT1meGoes]

We still only have 5 digits on our landline number, people in call centres do a bit of a double take, I think it must be fairly rare now.

[bertsdinner]

This takes me back a bit. My gran used to do this, she always said "Pontefract 246536".
My stepdad always says his surname in a really brusque, pompous way when he answers the phone "Jones!!"