Does anyone know why do we use 999 for the emergency services.

Years ago when we had dial phones it would have taken ages for the dial to return to normal after dialing 9 once, let alone 3 times.

It would have made more sense to use 111, so there must be a particular reason for the 9's. Does anyone know why.

I would imagine that it had something to do with the fact that it's easy to recall and hard to dial by accident if using an old-fashioned dial phone.

Always thought the US 911 was quicker.

999 was used because the numbers could be remembered easily, that they were all at the same end of the dial. It was relatively simple to convert coin boxes to accept 999 calls with out charge. The 999 system open in London in July 1937, it was 1938 before it reached Glasgow. It was the first service of its type in the world.

As is normal a disaster of some description was required to prompt government action. In November of 1935 a fire occurred in London in which five people died, in the inquiry which followed it became apparent that a system was required that alerted telephone operators to emergency calls. A parliamentary Committee called the Belgrave Committee examined the problems and set up various experiments in London. A great deal of discussion took place between the Home Office, the Police and Post Office. It was decided not to use 111 as this number can be dialled by phones which are faulty. 12 was not a good idea as at that time any one wanting a number on the 12 exchange would be barred because of the emergency calls. The same could be said for 222, this would have closed a big exchange in London and that could not happen.

I think it's something to do with blind people being able to find the numbers easily but I may be wrong...

history of 999 (http://www.fire.org.uk/advice/999history.htm)

Yeah I think they did a a test with children, to see which 3 digit number was the most dialled in the dark...

Using a dial phone, then put two fingers into the holes at the bottom of the dial. One goes into the 0 and one into the 9. It is now a simple job to move the 9 finger around the dial and follow it back. This can be done by touch alone, so the call can be made in darkness.

My 3 year old managed to dial 999 about 4 times when he was a baby!! I was so embarrassed.

You dont have to use 999, you can also dial 112 which takes less time to dial from a pulse phone.

It's actually to do with the old regenerator type dials that were used on the old telephone boxes. These allowed both way speech when 999 or 0 were dialled, but no speech facility if any other number was dialled....you could hear the called person, but they couldn't hear you until you inserted your money and pressed button A. Because of the mechanics of the dial, it was easier to use 999.

Nothing to do with "easier".
Earlier posts and their links have fully answered the question correctly..

A faulty dial could ring out smaller numbers.
So '111' could theoretically be rung out by someone dialling, say, '567' on a faulty unit.
Only a fully working dial would produce a '999'.

Originally posted by cgksheff
Nothing to do with "easier".
Earlier posts and their links have fully answered the question correctly..

A faulty dial could ring out smaller numbers.
So '111' could theoretically be rung out by someone dialling, say, '567' on a faulty unit.
Only a fully working dial would produce a '999'.

Many thanks for your support cgk, I thought the link explained everything apart from what alexander graham bells breakfast consisted of. :thumbsup:

Thank you for all your replies, with the links and your answers, my question has been answered. :clap: