View source for Abbreviated dialing

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{{more citations needed|date=August 2019}}
'''Abbreviated dialing''' is the use of a very short digit sequence to reach specific [[telephone number]]s, such as those of [[public services]]. The purpose of such numbers is to be universal, short, and easy to remember. Typically they are two or three digits.

Carriers refer to the shortened number sequences as ''abbreviated dialing codes'' (ADCs). Unlike SMS [[short code]]s, they are generally not automatically synchronized across carriers.  ADCs are provisioned separately for mobile networks versus landline networks.

==Examples==
The most commonly known examples are [[emergency telephone number]]s such as [[999 (emergency telephone number)|9-9-9]], [[1-1-2]] and [[9-1-1]].  Other services may also be available through abbreviated dialing numbers, such as the other of the eight [[N11 code]]s of the [[North American Numbering Plan]] (NANP) besides 9-1-1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2012/sep/19/three-digit-dialing-goes-well-beyond-911/|title = Three-digit dialing goes well beyond 911 - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper|date = 19 September 2012}}</ref>  State highway departments in recent years have used abbreviated dialing codes to allow drivers to obtain information about road conditions or to reach the state highway patrol.  Examples are *55 in Missouri and Oklahoma, or *FHP which connects to the Florida Highway Patrol.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ou.edu/police/dpsinfo/state-by-state-cellphone-highway-emergency-assistance-numbers |title = State-by-state Cellphone Highway Emergency Assistance Numbers}}</ref> In December 2019, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] proposed making [[988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline|9-8-8]] a national number in the United States for the [[National Suicide Prevention Lifeline]].<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/12/politics/fcc-988-suicide-prevention-hotline/index.html FCC unanimously approves proposal for new 3-digit number as Suicide Prevention Hotline]</ref> On July 16, 2022 it was officially implemented as the toll-free, nationwide telephone number for the hotline. <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dailyleader.com/2022/07/16/national-suicide-prevention-lifeline-is-now-9-8-8/ |title = National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is Now 988| date=16 July 2022 }}</ref>

==Security==
Privileged group-number, system-number, and enhanced-number lists provide access to numbers that typically would be restricted.

==Similar concepts==
For [[text messaging]], the technical equivalent is a [[short code]]; however, these are rented by their private users rather than being universal and for public services.

[[Vertical service code]]s may also be considered as abbreviated dialing, though these are often [[prefix (linguistics)|prefixed]] by the special [[touch-tone]] characters *  and # (or often 11 for [[pulse dialing]]) instead of using only [[Numeral system|numeral]]s.  Most are used to access [[calling feature]]s rather than a [[called party]], and some are specific to each [[telephone company]].  Some are used only locally or regionally (such as *FHP (*347) to reach the [[Florida Highway Patrol]]); other codes as short as one numeral (like *1) are used to report [[breaking news]] or [[traffic]] to the [[newsroom]]s of local [[news radio]] or [[TV station]]s.

A [[mobile dial code]] (MDC) is a phone number, typically preceded by a * or #, that allows the request and receipt of information directly to a [[mobile phone]]. MDCs are also known in carrier terminology as "abbreviated dialing codes" (ADCs).  Mobile dial codes are dialed just like a regular telephone number. The caller can be presented with any one of a variety of responses that an advertiser defines: a voice or [[Interactive voice response|IVR call]], a [[text message]], a video or audio clip, a [[Mobile commerce#Mobile vouchers.2C coupons and loyalty cards|mobile coupon]], game or an application.

These types of dialing options can be used for a number of things. "Pound two-fifty" (#250) is an MDC commonly used in radio & TV advertising. Callers are able to dial #250 for a voice-activated, hands-free connection to a business. Callers are prompted to say a keyword or key-phrase, which corresponds to an advertiser (e.g., "Food For The Poor" causes a connection to that non-profit charity). #250 is the only MDC that is functional on all significant mobile carriers in the US and Canada, including [[Verizon Wireless|Verizon]], [[AT&T]], [[T-Mobile US|T-Mobile]], [[Sprint Corporation|Sprint]], [[U.S. Cellular]], cSpire and several smaller regional carriers (in Canada, on Rogers, Bell Mobility, Telus, Freedom Mobile, Eastlink, Sasktel, Fido, and Videotron).<ref>{{cite web |title=A Four-Digit Success Story |url=https://radioink.com/2019/06/23/a-four-digit-success-story/ |website=Radio Ink |date=24 June 2019 |access-date=2019-09-03}}</ref>
==Specific number usage by region==
{{see also|List of emergency telephone numbers}}

Usage for each number varies by location. Below are specific numbers, as used in various regions. 

this section provides sub-sections for various regions. the sub-sections are not necessarily hierarchical; a region comprising a large country can be equal in level to a region comprising one or more continents. 

===Multi-continent usages===
* [[999 (emergency telephone number)|999]] is an official [[emergency telephone number]] in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact [[emergency service]]s for emergency assistance. Countries and territories using the number include [[Bahrain]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Botswana]], [[Cook Islands|Cook Island]], [[Eswatini]], [[Ghana]], [[Bailiwick of Guernsey|Guernsey]], [[Hong Kong]], the [[Republic of Ireland]], the [[Isle of Man]], [[Jersey]], [[Kenya]], [[Macau]], [[Malaysia]], [[Mauritius]], [[Niue]], [[Poland]], [[Qatar]], [[Sudan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Singapore]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[Seychelles]], [[Uganda]], the [[United Arab Emirates]], the [[United Kingdom]], and [[Zimbabwe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The NHS website |url=https://www.nhs.uk/ |website=nhs.uk |access-date=16 February 2021 |language=en |date=16 August 2018 |archive-date=2 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502074502/http://www.wales.nhs.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===North America===
* [[9-1-1|911]], or nine-one-one, is the emergency telephone number in United States of America, Canada, and Mexico.

===United States===
In the United States, an [[N11 code]] (pronounced Enn-one-one) is a three-digit dialing code used in abbreviated dialing in the [[North American Numbering Plan]] (NANP). These dialing codes provide access to special local services, such as 911 for emergency services, which is a facility mandated by law in the United States. The [[FCC]] specified how the N11 codes of 211, 311, 511, 711 and 811 codes would be used for various types of public information under NANP. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fcc.gov/document/use-n11-codes-and-other-abbreviated-dialing-arrangementsclas-no |url-access= |title=The Use of N11 Codes and Other Abbreviated Dialing Arrangements(Clas No. 920485) |author=Staff writer |date=May 6, 1992 |department= |website=www.fcc.gov |agency=FCC |location= |arxiv= |asin= |bibcode= |doi= |doi-broken-date= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |access-date=May 16, 2024 |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |quote= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2004/06/08/04-12830/the-use-of-n11-codes-and-other-abbreviated-dialing-arrangements |url-access= |title=Proposed RuleThe Use of N11 Codes and Other Abbreviated Dialing Arrangements |author=Staff writer |date=June 8, 2004 |department= |website=www.federalregister.gov |agency=Office of the Federal Register |arxiv= |asin= |bibcode= |doi= |doi-broken-date= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |access-date=May 16, 2024 |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |quote= }}</ref>

N11-numbers provide access to special services. For example,
[[File:MUTCD D12-5.svg|thumb|upright|This US road sign reminds drivers and passengers about [[5-1-1]] service.]]
*[[2-1-1|211]]: [[Community]] services and information
*[[3-1-1|311]]: [[Municipality|Municipal government]] services, non-emergency number
*[[4-1-1|411]]: [[Directory assistance]]
*[[5-1-1|511]]: [[Traffic reporting|Traffic information]] or police non-emergency services
*[[6-1-1|611]]: [[Telephone company|Telephone company (telco)]] [[customer service]] and repair
*[[7-1-1|711]]: [[Telecommunications device for the deaf|TDD]] and [[Telecommunications relay service|Relay]] Services for the [[Hearing loss|deaf and hard of hearing]]
*[[8-1-1|811]]: Underground public [[utility location]] (United States);<ref>See Federal Communications Commission [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-257293A1.doc Document No. 92-105]</ref> non-emergency health information and services (Canada)
*[[911 (emergency telephone number)|911]]: [[Emergency service]]s ([[police]], [[fire department|fire]], [[Emergency medical services|ambulance]] and [[rescue]] services)

411 and 611 are commonly used in the United States, but not officially assigned by the [[Federal Communications Commission]].

The designation for special use in the NANP prevents their use as [[area code]]s and [[central office code|central office prefix]]es, eliminating about 8 million telephone numbers from assignment.


;Usage of numbers for major cities, in the United States. 

*New York State/New York City:
**211: Information hotline for New York State. <ref> [https://ocfs.ny.gov/directories/211.php 211 Service in New York State] official NY State website. </ref>
**311: Information hotline for New York City. <ref> [https://portal.311.nyc.gov/about-nyc-311/#contact-us Call 311] official NY City website. </ref>
**511: information on transportation services and conditions throughout New York State <ref> [https://511ny.org/about About 511NY], official NY State website. </ref>
**811: information on underground features and layout, for any construction projects that require digging in New York State. <ref> [https://newyork-811.com/contact/ "contact" page, New York 81 official website]. </ref>

===Europe===

* [[Police 101]] is the police [[Single non-emergency number|single non-emergency telephone number]] in the United Kingdom  which automatically connects the caller to their [[List of police forces of the United Kingdom|local police force]] (with the option to select a different police force if required), in a similar manner to the 999 emergency telephone number. Calls are now free. Before 2019 there was a charge of 15p per call.
* [[105 (telephone number)|105]] is the single non-emergency telephone number in the United Kingdom, it connects to the caller's local electricity [[distribution network operator]], and is primarily established for reporting power cuts. Calls are free.
* [[NHS 111]] is a free-to-call [[Single non-emergency number|single non-emergency telephone number]] medical helpline provided by the [[National Health Service]] (NHS) in the United Kingdom operating in England, Scotland, and parts of Wales.
* [[112 (emergency telephone number)|112]], or one-one-two, is the emergency telephone number across the [[European Union]], United Kingdom (where it works parallel to '''999'''), and other non-EU countries, and on [[GSM|Global System for Mobile Communications]] (GSM) mobile telephone networks across the world. Alternate emergency telephone number for tourists in Macau.
* 119 in the United Kingdom is the single number for contacting the National Health Service (NHS) for Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. Calls are free.
* 159 is the single number run by Action Fraud Stop Scams in the United Kingdom which connects callers, via menu options, directly to their bank's official anti-fraud department, in order to report scams or fraud. Calls are charged the same as a "geographic rate" call.
* [[999 (emergency telephone number)|999]], or nine-nine-nine, is the common emergency telephone number used to contact one of the four main [[emergency control centre]]s (ECC) in United Kingdom (where it works parallel to '''112'''); also an emergency telephone number in several non-EU countries. Former emergency telephone number in Ireland and Poland.

===Asia and Oceania===
* [[000 (emergency telephone number)|000 Emergency]] is the emergency telephone number in Australia.
* [[106 (emergency telephone number)|106 Text Emergency Call]] is the Australian national textphone/TTY emergency telephone number.
* [[111 (emergency telephone number)|111]] is the emergency telephone number in New Zealand.
* 105 New Zealand, is used to contact the police in general non-emergency situations.

==See also==
* [[Crisis hotline]]
* [[Enhanced 911]]
* [[Federal Communications Commission (FCC)]] (United States)
* [[In case of emergency]]
* [[Next Generation 9-1-1]]
* [[Social services]]
* [[Speed dial]]

===Specific number data===
* [[List of emergency telephone numbers]] 

{{Portal bar|Telephones|Telecommunications|Law|Medicine}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wiktionary|911}}
*[http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/211.html FCC fact sheet on 2-1-1]
*[http://www.211.org/ 2-1-1 Information & Referral Search]
*[http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/wireless911srvc.pdf Wireless 9-1-1 Services Guide] Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
*[http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/er/911.html How to Use 9-1-1] from [[KidsHealth]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150417091444/http://www.911dispatch.com/911/911_world.html Emergency Numbers Around the World] from 911dispatch.com

{{EMSworld}}
{{N11 codes|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Emergency telephone numbers|state=uncollapsed}}

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[[Category:Telephone numbers|*]]
[[Category:Three-digit telephone numbers|*]]