I am curious why and how the radio stations all seemed to get the 390-5XXX phone numbers for listener call in and contests. I am not sure that all of them had the 5 as the 4th digit, but that is the same as K so it fits in with the call letters. When did this start, and was this done because the listeners were jamming the circuits during the radio call ins? Also, would the 390 number have been assigned to one of the old phone exchange areas (which continued to exist even with the assignment of numbers instead of the exchanges, such as downtown being CApitol or 22 with the 22X-XXXX phone numbers)
I know now with the proliferation of area codes and phone companies and exchange numbers not being strictly geographicaly, we are beyond this (seems like clear channel uses 713-212-XXXX phone numbers). But I am just curious about this and wonder if other cities also had a particular phone exchange for call ins to radio stations. I also wonder when this stopped and the stations moved away from 390 numbers (although many still use the 390 numbers).
I know now with the proliferation of area codes and phone companies and exchange numbers not being strictly geographicaly, we are beyond this (seems like clear channel uses 713-212-XXXX phone numbers). But I am just curious about this and wonder if other cities also had a particular phone exchange for call ins to radio stations. I also wonder when this stopped and the stations moved away from 390 numbers (although many still use the 390 numbers).