People tend to call numbers they see on TV. This would mean that if they accidentally put a real person's number, this person would be harrassed by people that just called to see why that number was on television.
The 555 prefix is not a working prefix for regular phone numbers. 555 is used to create information numbers only ie. 714-555-1212 will reach an information operator in Orange County CA. Hollywood used the 555 prefix for phone numbers and movies and on TV shows because it will only lead to information or a non-working number. This way if someone was to attempt to call a phone number on TV or in a movie, they will not get anywhere and cannot disturb people if they should accidentally reach a working phone number.
However, the FCC has announced plans to offer certain telephone services with 555 numbers, so the only numbers that are guaranteed fictitious (and thus appropriate to use in a movie or TV show) are the numbers 555-0100 through 555-0199, in each area code.
The majority of 555 numbers are reserved as dummy numbers and have been allocated for purposes such as TV shows. Although there are a handful of working number with the 555 code, they are all special purpose numbers and none are held by subscribers.
Viewers of TV shows can call the numbers as often as they like without disturbing real people.
In the early days of direct dialing, certain numbers triggered certain responses in the phone system. And specific blocks of numbers were reserved for specific uses. In the United States the 555 exchange was reserved for the use of the phone company. Directory assistance was given that prefix. So no real user would ever be inconvenienced by someone calling a number that started with 555.
Other than directory assistance, phone numbers do not start with 555, so numbers in the movies do not conflict with actual phone numbers.
In American movies and TV shows phone numbers begin in "555-"
555-555-5555
every single Hollywood movie phone number starts with 555
Example: to address 555 Main Street, Apartment 456, Hollywood, California 90027 555 Main St APT 456 Hollywood CA 90027
If you look on the phone (or any phone) you see that letters are assigned to numbers, which is the way phone numbers were first assigned by prefix. The number 555-PETE is the same as 555-7383.
555-PETE is 555-7383 (numbers have letters)This is the phone number from the magazine you got your application from.
A fictional license plate, analogous to 555 phone numbers
Nabooti Island (cell phone)555-6789411 - Brain Hat911 - Police uniform1225 - Santa's Elf1337 - Nerd LookReality TV Island555-PETE (555-7383)
The letters can be dialed as numbers on the phone : 555-7383. Use the phone at the Motel Office to call 555-PETE (555-7383). Order a pizza for room 4-B, where Bucky Lucas is hiding out. Take the pizza to him to get a stamp for your Reality Show application.
You phone the number on the side of the spade- Vince grave 555-6789. You can also phone 911 and you get a police hat!
(555)555-55566
you can't all you have to do is type 555-7383