On Jun 5, 2009, at 3:58 PM, Rick Jones <rick.jon...@hp.com> wrote: >>> No it requires the network to send the time when requested. Eg, >>> Rogers in Canada (GSM) does deliver the time but I have no idea >>> what its accuracy is. > >> How dumb... something like time-of-day should be broadcast just >> like cell broadcast and everyone would be able to receive it without >> any requesting. > > For some reason, that one used to be able to dial a number to hear "At > the tone, the time will be ..." springs to mind. And makes me wonder > if that service still exists today.
Great thread. My father used to own a telco before Pacific Bell got a little frisky and edged him out. I don't remember the technical name for the call in time service, but we all called it POP-CORN. Those being the letters you dialed on the phone to get the time service to answer. A few lesser know bits about popcorn... Every area code supported it, so you just dialed 767-corn to get the time. The last 4 digits in all cases I remembered were allowed to be arbitrary, 0000 to 9999. Corn caught on for some reason. I used 1111 since rotary phone were mechanically slow. From what I remember the service was discontinued due to abuse. You could prefix any area code that was long distance and the time would repeat. These calls not being cheap, it bacame a way to run up ones bill by leaving the call open. It was also localized so you could perform the same service to overseas country codes. There also was reverse 411, which was super helpful when in a 1000 line wiring closet/drop. You could put a test phone on any pair, dial 114 and a recorded system would tell you what number was on that line. This was also discontinued due to privacy abuse as most phone wiring was easily acceded outside the home. An old phone with stripped wires on the correct pair was all you needed to get ones phone number. The service still exists but is a private number and you need a security code or to talk to am operator to get reverse 411. At least, ~15 years ago, that was the case. -- Scott _______________________________________________ questions mailing list questions@lists.ntp.org https://lists.ntp.org/mailman/listinfo/questions
