What happpens when you call a phone number that doesn't exist?

Question

Does it make a busy signal, or something else?

Answer 1

Don't forget the di-lithium crystals.  You can't run a flux-capacitor without them.

Answer 2

an operator comes on and says this number is not in order.

and it makes an annoying souind ( den a neen)

and then it beeps and then it will hang up on you.

Answer 3

You will tear a hole in the universe messing up the space/time continuum. So unless you have a flux capacitor sitting around I wouldn't even try it.

Thanks

Answer 4

It depends upon how the phone system in your local area and/or the area to which you are calling is set up, and exactly what you dialed which is not a valid, working number.   For example, the response from the system may well be different if you dial a number which COULD be valid in the area but is currently not in use versus a number or prefix which does not exist at all.

Typically, in North America you will get either a reorder tone (fast busy), or a recording which may or may not be followed by a reorder tone.  The recording will say something like "Your call cannot be completed as dialed; please check the number and try again," or "The number you have reached is not in service at this time."   There are many variations in different places.  Many recordings end with some numbers and letters being announced, e.g. "052-T" which are phone company identifying codes which tell you where the recording came from.   Quite often you will hear SIT tones before the recording - Three tones in quick succession in ascending pitch.

It's basically similar in other countries, but the tones and the recording styles differ.  For example, in the U.K. network the standard BT announcement for invalid codes and unassigned numbers at present just says "The number you have dialed has not been recognized; please check and try again," or on some invalid numbers you will just hear a continuous tone which is known as "number unobtainable" tone, and is how all spare numbers used to be handled at one time.

Operator intercept, where you hear a recording and then the call is automatically connected to an operator for assistance was common in the U.S. in the past, but has fallen out of use in more recent years.   In many other countries it was never adopted at all.