England's Mass Announcements

by John Drake

Besides offering a regulated loop or party line, British Telecom has also created an industry out of the pre-recorded message.

The most upmarket version, which they openly publish, consists of the Citycall numbers which offer hourly reports based on different areas of the stock market.

But industrious third-party companies have taken up the idea and offer - via British Telecom - recorded messages and services, anything from horoscopes to comedians' acts to fetish fashion information.

Advertisements for this new found industry can be found in the tabloid press and are controlled from a specially set up telephone exchange handling the recorded messages and direct-dial cellular phone numbers which are not formally listed in any directories.

On average, each call will last less than three minutes.  All local calls are billed in the U.K.  The rate structure is based on the time of day and is raised to an average of 38 pence per minute peak and 25 pence off peak.

Here is a list of recorded messages, dialable from anywhere in England:

0898 300 153 Jenny Blythe (34-23-34) 0898 300 101 Page 3 Girls 0898 300 146 Lipstick 0898 300 162 How to be a Yuppie 0898 300 158 Kevin Petts - Page 7 Guy 0898 300 100 Other Programmes 0898 300 445 Couple Troubles 0898 300 416 Sex & Women 0898 300 417 Sex & Men 0898 300 345 Dateline 0898 300 377 Loveline 0898 300 346 UFO Line 0898 300 370 Adult Joke Line 0898 300 444 Teenage Problemline 0898 300 164 Cleo Rocos 0898 300 165 Mr. Know-All 0898 300 110 Horoscope & Lovelife Predictions 0898 300 154 The Wallys - Shocking New Version 0898 300 141 Pillow Talk 0898 300 166 Confessions of an Air Stewardess 0898 300 183 Why Leather is Sexy 0898 300 143 Boots - Thigh or Ankle 0898 300 172 Teenage Sex Problems 0898 500 109 Eva's Embarrassing Evening 0898 500 123 Alternative Speaking Clock 0898 100 162 Adventures of the Bathing Beauty 0898 100 133 A French Teacher Confesses 0898 100 175 Encounters in the Hayloft 0898 100 129 Chateau de vice - Chevette Rock Star 0898 100 167 Lovecasts 0898 100 131 Tarzan & Jane Jungle Adventures 0898 100 112 Donna's Disastrous Dinner Party 0898 100 720 Madonna - The Facts 0898 100 755 Tom Cruise 0898 100 765 Moonlighting 0898 100 700 Michael J. Fox 0898 100 710 Prince 0898 100 781 Michael Jackson 0898 100 795 Update on All Hollywood Stars 0898 100 740 Storyline 0898 100 115 Carol's True Love 0898 100 735 Comedy Line 0898 100 182 AIDS Line - Q&A Comic Lines 0898 600 143 Rowan Atkinson - Impatient Man in Queue Behind Student 0898 600 202 Going to Hell - Smith & Jones - Head to Head 0898 600 203 A Visit to Harley Street 0898 600 204 Conception & Genetics 0898 600 205 Christmas, Drinking and the Police 0898 600 206 Football Rioting Death 0898 600 149 Blue Films 0898 600 208 Wife Swapping 0898 600 209 The Women's Movement 0898 600 182 Sex is Natural 0898 600 211 Millionaires - Lenny Henry 0898 600 213 Sex and Kids Growing Up - Bob Newhart 0898 600 218 The Driving Instructor 0898 600 219 Introducing Tobacco to Civilisation 0898 600 220 The Cruise of the SS Codfish Citycall 0898 121 212 Citycall Directory 0898 121 220 General Market Report 0898 121 221 Company News 0898 121 225 Active Shares 0898 121 230 Foreign Exchanges 0898 121 235 Currency Hotline 0898 121 240 Leading Shares A-K 0898 121 241 Leading Shares L-Z 0898 121 245 Traded Options 0898 121 246 Options Review 0898 121 250 USM 0898 121 255 Recent Issues

Note:  These numbers seem to be reachable from England only.  However, we know there's got to be a way around that.  It's possible the British Telecom operators at 800-445-5667 will put calls through to the above.  It's also possible Blue Boxes can get through.  We'll let you know what we find out.  In the meantime, the following numbers are meant to supplement the list from our July 1986 issue.  All of them need country code 44.)

1-2468015 Dialing Instructions 1-2468017 Dialing Instructions 1-2468026 Financial Report 1-2468035 British Telecom Guideline 1-2468040 Christian Message 1-2468050 Challenge Line 1-2468060 Racing Bulletin 1-2468072 VD Info 1-2468080 Newsline 1-2468088 Civil Emergencies 1-2468090 Weather 1-2468200 Time 1-2468400 Music 1-2468600 Music 203-8069 Coventry Radio 246-8015 Cricket Line 634-8069 Kent Radio 702-8900 Essex Radio 61-2468011 U.S. Dial Tone