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"Loops I've Known and Loved"
No self-respecting Phone Phreak can go through life without
knowing what a loop is, how to use one, and the types that are
available. The loop is a great alternate communication medium
that has many potential uses that haven't even been tapped yet.
In order to explain what a loop is, it would be helpful if you
would visualize two phone numbers (lines) just floating around in
the Telco central office. Now, if you (and a friend perhaps)
were to call these two numbers at the same time, POOOOFFFF!!!,
you are now connected together. I hear what you're saying out
there ..., "Big deal" or "Why should mother bell collect two
MSU's (message units) for one lousy phone call!?" Well ... think
again. Haven't you ever wanted someone to call you back, but
were reluctant to give out your home phone number (like the last
time you tried to get your friends' unlisted number from the
business office)? Or how about a collect call to your frie.d
waiting on a loop, who will gladly accept the charges? Or better
yet, stumbling a loop that you discover has multi-user capability
(for those late-night conference). Best of all is finding a non-
supervised loop that doesn't charge any MSU's or tolls to one or
both parties. Example: many moons ago, a loop affectionately
known as 'The 332 Loop' was non-sup on one 'side'. I had my
friend in California dial the free (non-sup) side, (212) 332 -
9906 and I dialed the side that charged, 332-9900. As you can
see, I was charged one MSU, and my friend was charged zilch, for
as long as we wished to talk!!!
Ahhhh .... have I perked your intrest yet? If so, here is
how to find a loop of your very own. First, do all of your loop
searching at NIGHT! This is because the loops serve a genuine
test function which Telco uses during the day. (We don't want to
run into an irate lineman now, do we?) To find a loop, having
two phone numbers is a definite plus. If not, get a friend to
dial numbers at his location. Last resort, try dialing from two
adjacent pay phones. Now, get your trusty white pages, and turn
to the page where it lists Metro NY exchanges and the number of
MSU's from your exchange. The idea is to get a loop that is only
one MSU from your calling area so you don't go bankrupt trying to
find a working one. So write down in a list all of these
exchanges. The following are common loop endings (EXC stands for
the exchange):
Manhatten and The Bronx ---------- EXC -
9977 & EXC - 9979
Brooklyn and Queens -------------- EXC -
9900 & EXC - 9906
Armed with the preceding info, dial the tone side of a loop.
This would be the 9906 or 9979 side. The best thing that could
happen now is that you will be able to hear yourself, or friend
through the loop connection. Eureka, you've found a loop!!!
Unfortunately, this doesn't happen too often. Here are the more
common possibilites:
1. You can hear through the loop (not muted) but there is a 1/2
second click every 10 seconds that interrupts the audio. Good
for backup use, but the %&%$%%! click is super annoying.
2. One side of the loop is busy; try it again later.
3. The tone disappears, but you cannot hear through it (the loop
is muted, try again in a month or so).
4. You get "The number you have reached" recording. No more
loop in that exchange, go on to next.
Most loops fall into catagory #3, but they do become unmuted
from time to time. Once you have found a loop, its uses are
only limited to your imagination. If you discover any novel uses
for loop lines, I am always willing to learn, so leave them for
me here on *MOM*.
Happy Looping
Official Phreddy Loop -------(212) 452 - 9900, 9906
Great for data!
Info on the '1633' loops by special request only!!!!!!!