For anyone else who was out of the loop, this is a joke from the IT Crowd when (in the show) England was changing their emergency services numbers:
From today, dialing 999 won’t get you the emergency services. And that’s not the only thing that’s changing. Nicer ambulances, faster response times and better-looking drivers mean they’re not just the emergency services — they’re your emergency services. So, remember the new number: 0118 999 881 999 119 725… 3.
Edit: Edited for clarification that this was a joke in the show and England did not change their emergency services number IRL.
We never changed emergency numbers. It might have referred to when we changed directory enquiries from a single one operated by your phone provider to multiple options with the prefix 118 xxx. Or perhaps when we extended emergency services to also have non emergency numbers for police and health issues.
Otherwise it’s been 999 for decades (with 112 also routed to the same).
I’m not British, so I don’t know the history of this. The article I took my info specifically said:
Until 2003, you could call directory enquiries (to find out the phone number of someone if you knew their name and address) by dialing 192. That system was privatized, and you had to dial 118 NNN, where the NNN was the number assigned to a commercial service provider, the most famous of which became 118 118.
So the joke in the show was basically, “what if we did to emergency services what we did to directory enquiries”.
Are you sure about that. They specifically called out England and not the UK. That is a sure fire way to tell that they know what they’re talking about.
For anyone else who was out of the loop, this is a joke from the IT Crowd when (in the show) England was changing their emergency services numbers:
Edit: Edited for clarification that this was a joke in the show and England did not change their emergency services number IRL.
0118 999 881 999 119 752… 3 is the Pastor, not confuse
We never changed emergency numbers. It might have referred to when we changed directory enquiries from a single one operated by your phone provider to multiple options with the prefix 118 xxx. Or perhaps when we extended emergency services to also have non emergency numbers for police and health issues.
Otherwise it’s been 999 for decades (with 112 also routed to the same).
It was the IT crowd, a TV show, not real life
The original comment did read like it was an actual thing happening in England, though
It did, but the numbers never changed.
I’ve lived in England for all of my 36 years and it’s always been 999.
I’m not British, so I don’t know the history of this. The article I took my info specifically said:
So the joke in the show was basically, “what if we did to emergency services what we did to directory enquiries”.
Lol yea, I forgot that happened.
Don’t think I’ve ever used directory enquiries in my life. I was 16 in 2003 and we already had the internet at home by then.
How do you know? When is the last time you checked?
You’re right. I’d best give them a call to be on the safe side. Sure they won’t mind if I explain why.
No, really? Wow, this is completely new information!
Are you sure about that. They specifically called out England and not the UK. That is a sure fire way to tell that they know what they’re talking about.
Did you actually mean in real fictional life
Lolol
Here’s the scene.