Editing Unlisted number

{{short description|Telephone number that is unpublished}}
{{for|telephone numbers hidden from the call recipient|Caller ID#Blocking and unblocking caller ID}}
{{use American English|date=September 2022}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
In [[telephony]], an '''unlisted number''' (United States, New Zealand), '''ex-directory number''' (United Kingdom) '''silent number''', '''silent line''' (Australia<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus/community-environment/community-programs/access-for-everyone/products-solutions
|title=Telstra - Products & Solutions - Access for Everyone
|website=telstra.com.au |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>), or '''private number''' (New Zealand, and Canada) is a [[telephone number]] that, for a fee,<ref name=NotFree>{{cite news
  |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/09/14/archives/at-t-describes-its-policy-on-releasing-unlisted-phone-numbers-to.html
  |title=A.T.&T. Describes Its Policy on Releasing Unlisted Phone Numbers to Law Enforcement Agencies
  |author=Richard L Meislin |date=September 14, 1976 |access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref> is intentionally not listed in [[telephone book]]s.  Although an unpublished number is not included in the phone book, an unlisted number may be available from the phone company's information operator.<ref name=Due2DebtNYT/> When used for residential households, they're primarily for [[privacy]] concerns.<ref name=KindaListedNYT95>NYTimes: "includes the last four digits" of a person's address. {{cite news  |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/07/business/spending-it-how-unlisted-is-becoming-kind-of-listed.html
  |title= How 'Unlisted' Is Becoming 'Kind Of Listed'
  |author=Anthony Ramirez |date=May 7, 1995  |access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref>

Another form of anonymity is being listed with just a first initial, for those with a relatively common family name; sometimes these listings also lack an address. No fee is charged for initially being so-listed.<ref name=InitialsNYT>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/business/yourmoney/calling-all-cheats-meet-your-enemy.html
  |title=Calling All Cheats: Meet Your Enemy
  |author=Claudia H. Deutsch |date=December 10, 2006  |access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref><ref name=MadNYT2009>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/nyregion/20nyc.html
|title=B. Madoff, and Proud of It |author=Clyde Haberman  |date=March 19, 2009 |access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref><ref name=CentLink>{{citation
    |publisher=[[List of CenturyLink operating companies]]<!--3rd largest USA-->
    |url=https://www.centurylink.com/home/help/home-phone/choose-how-your-contact-info-appears-in-the-phone-book.html
    |title=Choose how your info appears in the phone directory
    |quote=Replace your first and/or middle name with initials.
    |access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref>

==Unlisted numbers as a paid service==
[[NYNEX]] was charging $1.95 per month in 1994;<ref name=Dollar95NYNEX1994NYT>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
   |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/11/nyregion/nynex-raises-the-unlisted-phone-window-a-bit.html
   |title=Nynex Raises the Unlisted Phone Window a Bit
   |author=Matthew L. Wald  |date=August 11, 1994  |access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref> in 1976 the same service was 93 cents monthly.<ref name=NotFree/> In 1971 ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that some users of this service needed it to hide from bill collectors.<ref name=Due2DebtNYT>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
    |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/22/archives/for-privacy-from-cranks-creeps-and-crooks-millions-getting-unlisted.html
    |title=For Privacy From Cranks, Creeps and Crooks, Millions Getting Unlisted Phone Numbers
    |author=Robert A. Wright |date=December 22, 1971  |access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref> Silent numbers are often [[plant test number]]s that link to specific tests or control apparatus for network maintenance staff such as [[ringback number|ringback]] and [[automatic number announcement circuit]] and are generally not for public use.

In Norway,(and some other countries), the directory services in the 1970s distinguished between '''secret number''', '''unlisted number''' and listed number with a '''hidden address'''.  The first type '''secret number''' was typically used by celebrities (in this case the address was hidden as well). The second type '''unlisted number''' was not listed in the (paper based) phone book, but was listed on the directory service (a voice call to 018 in the 1970s).  '''Listed number with a hidden address''' is useful for [[women's shelter]] etc., where the number needs to be listed, but where the address is to be hidden from the general public. Naturally, there are many changes when directory services became available on the Internet, but this case shows that separate user groups may have different needs to hide various parameters relating to privacy.<ref name=Dollar95NYNEX1994NYT/>

These unlisted numbers are made known to call recipients who have [[caller ID]], and are captured and recorded when used to call toll-free numbers.<ref name=KindaListedNYT95/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unlisted Number}}
[[Category:Telephone numbers]]