981…Ummmm...

(As a proud citizen of India)

In some cities they were 5 digit numbers and in some they were 6. Yes the identity of Alexander Graham Bell’s invention. Telephone Numbers!!!!

They were rare then and easy, if not pretty easy, to remember. But the entire nature connives to screw mankind. Came in the era of cell phones and brought along the 10 digit number tag. Now how in the world can a person be expected to memorize such a monstrous figure!! Maybe Harry Loraine can provide help. Phone books inbuilt in cell phones came to rescue but when making calls from a fixed phone memory eluded often.

Now how can the stalwarts of telecommunication be left behind? BSNL added a “2” at the beginning of every existing telephone number for some God forsaken reason. Maybe they felt too meager in comparison to a decade. But that wasn’t too big a trouble as the already, somehow, memorized numbers had to be prefixed with a digit. No big deal!

Reliance shook India by the 40 paise clincher. Good enough but the 7 digit numbers were a new headache. Go on guys put it in too!!!!

Now the 7 digits have been upgraded to 10. C’mon you are already used to them, aren’t you?

One question still haunts me. The maximum number of 10 long figures that can be developed using the 10 digits (Excluding 0 in first place) are 10⁹ x 9. Though large it is but a finite number. What when the number of subscribers exceed this value?

Do not worry sir we have full faith in man’s memory. 15 figures will come in handy. Good luck Mankind.