Wat does it mean if a phone number has an "extention" and how do u input it?

Question

Wat does it mean if a phone number has an "extention" and how do u input it?

Answer 1

an extention means that the phone number is the main number for the office or whatever and each person uses it but has their own little part of it. so you dial the 7 numbers and put in the 4 other numbers. and you just wait for it to say "welcome to __________" or whatever. and then just type in the 4 numbers

Answer 2

This is a common arrangement where an office building or similar organization has a PBX (Private Branch eXchange), effectively its own small telephone system which handles calls between the various offices and departments in the building.  The PBX typically also allows any extension user to pick up an outside line to make a call, and for incoming calls on one or more lines to be directed to the correct extension.

In a typical scheme, to make an internal call within the building an extension user just picks up and dials a 2-, 3- or 4-digit extension number.   For outside calls he will dial 9 which connects to an a "normal" outside line, gives dialtone, and then the phone number.

The way that incoming calls are handled varies a little from system to system.  There are still plenty of older PBX systems in use where you just call the regular 7-digit number and the call will be answered by the building's receptionist.  You then just tell her "Extension 234 please" (or whatever extension you happen to want) and she will connect you.

In many modern systems incoming calls are answered by a computerized system which will then allow you to dial the extension number yourself (you must be using TouchTone).