Editing Speaking clock (section)

=== United Kingdom ===
==== Usage ====
In the [[United Kingdom]], the speaking clock can be heard by dialling 123 on a [[BT Group|BT]] phone line; the number may vary on other networks.  Every ten seconds, a voice announces:

{{blockquote|At the third stroke, the time from BT will be (hour) (minute) and (second) seconds.}}

The service was started in 1936 by the General Post Office (which handled telephones at that time) and was continued by BT after its formation in 1980 and [[privatisation]] in 1984. Between 1986 and 2008, the message included the phrase "sponsored by Accurist"; Accurist withdrew their sponsorship in 2008.<ref name='guardian_accurist' />  The "from BT" part was added, then removed at some point, then reinstated.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

For times that are an exact minute, "precisely" is substituted for the seconds portion of the announcement.  Similarly, announcements for times between the hour and one minute past the hour substitute "o'clock" for the (zero) minutes.  Other operators run their own speaking clocks, with broadly similar formats, or redirect to BT's service.  [[Virgin Media]] have their own service available by dialling 123 from a Virgin Media line.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cableforum.uk/board/showthread.php?t=33654855|title=BT speaking clock is no more on Virgin Media and T-Mobile! - Cable Forum|website=Cable Forum}}</ref> Sky also have their own service accessible by dialling 123 from a Sky telephone line.  Dialling 123 from a few mobile services, such as [[O2 (UK)|O2]], also obtains a speaking clock service. The [[Giffgaff]] network uses the same service as O2. The service is not available on the [[Hutchison 3G|3]] mobile telephone network, as they use 123 as the number for their voicemail services.  It was also unavailable on the [[Orange (UK)|Orange]] network for the same reason.

On the occasion of a [[leap second]], such as at 23:59:60 on December 31, 2005, there is an extra second pause between the second and third beeps, to keep the speaking clock synchronised with [[UTC|Coordinated Universal Time]]: "At the third stroke, the time from BT will be, twelve o'clock precisely. Beep, Beep, <pause> Beep."  The current UK time source is the [[National Physical Laboratory, UK]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

In 2011, the BBC reported: "The service still receives 30 million calls each year."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14198506  Speaking Clock: Why are people still dialling for the time?]</ref>

==== History ====
A speaking clock service was first introduced in the [[United Kingdom]] on July 24, 1936. The mechanism used was an array of motors, glass discs, photocells and valves which took up the floorspace of a small room. The voice was that of London telephonist [[Jane Cain|Ethel Jane Cain]], who had won a prize of 10 [[Guinea (British coin)|guineas]] ({{Inflation|UK|10.5|1936|r=-1|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}){{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} in a competition to find the "Golden Voice". Cain's voice was recorded optically onto the glass disks in a similar way to a film soundtrack.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} The service was obtained by dialling the letters TIM (846) on a dial telephone, and hence the service was often colloquially referred to as "Tim". However this code was only used in the [[Director telephone system]] of the cities of [[London]], [[Birmingham]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Glasgow]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Manchester]]. Other areas initially dialled 952, but with the introduction of [[subscriber trunk dialling]] it was changed to 80 and later 8081 as more 'recorded services' were introduced. It was standardised to 123 by the early 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}

The time announcements were made by playing short, recorded phrases or words in the correct sequence. In an interview with Manchester Radio in 1957 Miss Cain said:

{{cquote|The way I recorded it was in jerks as it were. I said: "At the Third Stroke" (that does for all the times), and then I counted from One, Two, Three, Four, for the hours, we even went as far as twenty-four, in case the twenty-four-hour clock should need to be used, and then I said "……and ten seconds, and twenty seconds, and thirty, forty, fifty seconds", and "o'clock" and "precisely". The famous "precisely". So what you hear is "At the Third Stroke it will be one, twenty-one and forty seconds".<ref>[http://www.connected-earth.com/Collections/PeoplesConnectedEarth/Viewcontributions/Recordingthefirstspeakingclock/index.htm Recording the first speaking clock, 1936] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113234938/http://www.connected-earth.com/Collections/PeoplesConnectedEarth/Viewcontributions/Recordingthefirstspeakingclock/index.htm |date=2009-01-13 }} Retrieved on 20 October 2008</ref>}}

In 1963, the original device was replaced by more modern recording technology using a magnetic drum, similar to the [[Audichron]] technology used in the United States. The company that manufactured the rotating magnetic drum part of the Speaking Clock was Roberts & Armstrong (Engineers) Ltd of North Wembley. They took on the licence from the British Post Office to manufacture complete clocks for the telecommunications authorities of Denmark, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, and a third (spare) clock for the British Post Office. The latter was installed in Bow Street, London. The European clocks were modified for the 24-hour system by lengthening the drum and adding extra heads. Roberts & Armstrong subcontracted the electronic aspects to the Synchronome Company of Westbury. The clocks were designed to run non-stop for 20 years. This system gave way to the present digital system in 1984, which uses a built-in crystal oscillator and microprocessor logic control. The complete apparatus comprises solid-state microchips, occupies no more shelf space than a small suitcase and has no moving parts at all. The BT service is assured to be accurate to five-thousandths of a second.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

In 1986, BT allowed [[Accurist]] to sponsor its franchise, the first time a sponsor had been used for the service. In the latter years of this sponsorship, it cost 30 pence to call the speaking clock.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=100877|title=The Speaking Clock.BT price increase. MoneySavingExpert.com Forums|website=forums.moneysavingexpert.com|date=11 October 2005 }}</ref> Accurist announced its withdrawal from the deal and the launch of an online "British Real Time" website on 24 August 2008.<ref name='guardian_accurist'>{{cite news | newspaper=The Guardian | last=Wainwright | first=Martin | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/aug/25/btgroup | title=Speaking clock sponsor says it's time for change | date=24 August 2008 | access-date=20 October 2008}}</ref>

During the [[Cold War]], the [[British Telecom]] speaking clock network was designed to be used in case of nuclear attack to broadcast messages from [[RAF Strike Command|Strike Command]] at [[RAF High Wycombe]] to [[HANDEL]] units at regional police stations.<ref>[http://www.ringbell.co.uk/ukwmo/Page211.htm UKWMO early warning system] Retrieved on 20 October 2008</ref> From there, automatic warning sirens could be started and alerts sent to Royal Observer Corps monitoring posts and other civil defence volunteers equipped with manual warning devices. The rationale for using an existing rather than a dedicated system was that it was effectively under test at all times, rather than being activated (and possibly found to be faulty) only in the event of war. The signals to automatic sirens were sent down the wires of individual (unaware) subscribers for the same reason—a customer would report any fault as soon as it occurred, whereas a problem with a dedicated line would not be noticed until it was needed.

A version of the speaking clock was also used on recordings of proceedings at the [[Palace of Westminster|Houses of Parliament]] made by the BBC Parliament Unit, partly as a time reference and partly to prevent editing. On a stereo recording, one track was used for the sound and the other for an endless recording of the speaking clock—without the pips, as these were found to cause interference.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}

==== ''BT'' "Speaking Clock" voices ====
There have been five permanent voices for the speaking clock.  Temporary voices have been used on special occasions, usually with BT donating the call fees collected to charity.

'''Permanent voices'''
# [[Jane Cain|Ethel Jane Cain]], first permanent voice: from July 24, 1936, to 1963.
# [[Pat Simmons (speaking clock)|Pat Simmons]], second permanent voice: from 1963 to April 2, 1985.
# [[Brian Cobby]], third permanent voice: from April 2, 1985, to April 2, 2007.
# [[Sara Mendes da Costa]], fourth permanent voice: from April 2, 2007, to November 9, 2016.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/6516195.stm BBC News: Speaking Clock gets a new voice] Retrieved on 20 October 2008</ref>
# Alan Steadman, fifth permanent voice: from November 9, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dundee man is new voice of BT speaking clock|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-37928543|access-date=1 January 2017|work=BBC|date=9 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Speaking Clock Alan Steadman says Dundee still has time for the city's dialect|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/338106/speaking-clock-man-alan-steadman-says-dundee-still-time-citys-dialect/|access-date=1 January 2017|work=The Courier.co.uk|date=29 December 2016}}</ref>

'''Temporary voices'''
# [[Lenny Henry]], comedian, temporary voice for [[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]]: from March 10 to March 23, 2003.
# Alicia Roland,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/club/your_reports/newsid_3188000/3188550.stm | work=BBC News | title=I am the new speaking clock voice | date=2003-10-13 | access-date=2010-05-23}}</ref> 12-year-old schoolgirl, temporary voice for the children's charity [[ChildLine]], from October 13 to October 20, 2003, having won a [[BBC TV]] ''[[Newsround]]'' competition and stating, before announcing the time, "It's time to listen to young people".
# [[Mae Whitman]], temporary voice as part of a deal to promote the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] production of ''[[Tinker Bell (film)|Tinker Bell]]'', for three months from 26 October 2008 until 2 February 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7689425.stm |title=Tinker Bell Voices Speaking Clock |work=BBC News | date=2008-10-24 | access-date=2010-01-04}}</ref>
# UK celebrities [[Kimberley Walsh]], [[Cheryl Fernandez-Versini]], [[Gary Barlow]], [[Chris Moyles]], and [[Fearne Cotton]] for [[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]] charity: from 3 February to 23 March 2009.<ref>[http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=63975&d=254&h=260&f=3 BT provides celebrity climb sponsorship], [[Marketing Week]], January 16, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/stars+replace+pips+with+raspberries/2920687 |title=Channel 4 News - Latest UK & World News &#124; Videos &#124; Special Reports - Channel 4 News |publisher=Channel4.com |access-date=2013-11-13}}</ref>
# UK celebrities [[David Walliams]], [[Gary Barlow]], [[Chris Moyles]], [[Kimberley Walsh]], [[Fearne Cotton]] and a mystery voice for [[Sport Relief]] charity from 7 March to 9 April 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/ShowArticle.cfm?ArticleID=6BC73284-CA32-4F61-8E59-D1C706B03742 |title=BT news releases |publisher=Btplc.com |access-date=2013-11-13 |archive-date=2013-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113231733/http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/ShowArticle.cfm?ArticleID=6BC73284-CA32-4F61-8E59-D1C706B03742 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sport Relief 2020 {{!}} Comic Relief|url=https://www.comicrelief.com/sportrelief|access-date=2021-05-20|website=www.comicrelief.com|language=en}}</ref>
# [[Clare Balding]] temporary voice for [[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]] from 12 February to 15 March 2013 (with the help of a barking dog, time announced as "at the third woof".)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.btplc.com/news/articles/showarticle.cfm?articleid=%7B7fee9b29-3193-436a-9122-1cc70b740b8d%7D|title=Error|website=www.btplc.com|access-date=2013-02-20|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090551/http://www.btplc.com/news/articles/showarticle.cfm?articleid=%7B7fee9b29-3193-436a-9122-1cc70b740b8d%7D|url-status=dead}}</ref>
# [[Davina McCall]] temporary voice for [[Sport Relief]] from 27 January to 23 March 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://home.bt.com/news/bt-life/davinas-7-day-challenge-11363870332171|title=Davina's 7 day challenge|website=BT.com}}</ref>
# [[Ian McKellen]] temporary voice for [[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]] from 24 February to 13 March 2015.<ref>{{cite news | first=Becky | last=Gamester-Newton | title=Sir Ian McKellen unveiled as voice of Speaking Clock | url=http://home.bt.com/news/bt-life/sir-ian-mckellen-unveiled-as-voice-of-speaking-clock-11363958986096 | access-date=2 March 2016 | work=BT | date=13 March 2015}}</ref>
# [[Jo Brand]] temporary voice for [[Sport Relief]] from 22 January to 30 March 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://home.bt.com/news/bt-life/jo-brand-is-new-voice-of-bt-speaking-clock-11364034461425|title=Sport Relief: Jo Brand is new voice of BT Speaking Clock|website=BT.com}}</ref>