Number crunch

A decade ago, remembering phone numbers was quite easy. Even in a city like Mumbai, where I reside, phone numbers used to be six digits, and it was not difficult to memorise a number.

A decade ago, remembering phone numbers was quite easy. Even in a city like Mumbai, where I reside, phone numbers used to be six digits, and it was not difficult to memorise a number. Then one fine day, they suddenly increased it to seven digits, and I too had my memory upgraded to remember that additional digit. It was not an impossible task though.

When the authorities realised that I had mastered memorising that additional digit, they decided to add yet one more digit and took it to eight digits. Again I outsmarted them, as this time they had only added the number ‘2’ as a prefix to the existing number. I was told that this was an exercise at the national level, and was not aimed at me personally — which was reassuring.

Then came cellphones, with their humongous numbers — ten digits in all. It stretched my capacities beyond their limit. I did not even try to accept the challenge. The only cellphone number I remember is my own!

Story continues below this ad

The land phone numbers allotted by MTNL even today indicate the area where the user was located. With the second, third and fourth digit, you could easily identify the location if one was familiar with the city. So far so good. Then someone discovered WLL technology to challenge me again. Phones from private players started rolling out with just any combination of numbers. Something I am still unable to decipher. I have just mastered the art of recognising the service providers by their number, but one will never know where the user is located, since the users can physically move their instruments to wherever they are located. They can even keep their phones in their cars while travelling.

Mercifully, the emergency numbers 100, 101 and 102 are still in three digits. It would be impossible to remember a number like 9812895621 to call the fire brigade when the house is on fire!