A telephone number is a sequence of digits assigned to a landline telephone subscriber station connected to a telephone line or to a wireless electronic telephony device, such as a radio telephone or a mobile telephone, or to other devices for data transmission via the public switched telephone network (PSTN), or other public and private networks. Modern smart phones have added a built-in layer of abstraction whereby individuals or businesses are saved into a contacts application and the numbers no longer have to be written down or memorized.
A Swiss rotary telephone dial from the 1970s showing the telephone's number (94 29 68), along with those of various local emergency services
Telephone numbers for sale in Hong Kong
A business card from Richard Nixon's first Congressional campaign in 1946; his telephone number can be seen as "Whittier 42635"
Face of a 1939 rotary dial showing a 2L-4N style alphanumeric telephone number LA-2697.
A telephone call or telephone conversation, also known as a phone call or voice call, is a connection over a telephone network between the called party and the calling party. Telephone calls started in the late 19th century. As technology has improved, a majority of telephone calls are made over a cellular network through mobile phones or over the internet with Voice over IP. Telephone calls are typically used for real-time conversation between two or more parties, especially when the parties cannot meet in person.
An early 20th century candlestick telephone used for a phone call
An early 21st century mobile phone being used for a phone call
U.S. President Gerald Ford on the phone
