The winner for best telecom Easter egg in a show is – Reacher!
As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m always on the lookout for real telephone numbers in TV shows and movies. So I was delighted to find five telephony Easter Eggs in the new show “Reacher” on Amazon.
At one point, the police detective holds up a scrap of paper with a real telephone number on it. Of course I paused and called it right away.
I was treated to someone’s voicemail. I was asked to leave a message, but there was no beep and the call hung up. Sure enough – in the next scene we found out who this was, but it allowed us to be one step ahead of the investigation!
Much later, we saw the rest of the note, which contained three more valid numbers!
Each of these numbers ties into the story. Two of them are voiced by characters that never actually make an appearance in the show. Do they get credit for appearing in Reacher? There’s no mention in IMDB.
And finally at the end, we get a tender scene with a telephone number hand-off. This one, like the others, is tantalizingly obviously supposed to be called by us, the viewer.
This time I waited until the end of the show before calling it, and it was like a sweet post-credit scene. Well done, Amazon!
If Amazon changes these scenes, or if they’ve disconnected the numbers by the time you read this, or if you are not in the US and do not want to incur international telecom fees, here is the audio associated with each of these numbers:
229-474-3308
609-337-2601
646-568-5111
901-654-0115
229-785-8132
The “rate centers” of the telephone numbers match the story line, so someone knew what they were doing. I checked the callerid name for these numbers, and three of them say “SKYDANCE”, which is the name of the production company for Reacher. It appears that Skydance has a great telecommunications consultant on this! Whoever you are, we appreciate you!
On an interesting side note, Amazon has recently released a telecommunications product called Amazon Connect for call centers. From the information I could find, I don’t think these numbers are part of Amazon connect. So Skydance Media is paying some monthly fee to host these numbers somewhere. Hopefully indefinitely.
The carrier associated with three of these numbers match the carrier for the telephone number in Don’t Look Up – ONVOY LLC. It could be Onvoy is a partner of Twilio. Peerless is the carrier for the remaining two. They are also a large business-to-business carrier and likely a partner with Twilio. I only mention Twilio because they’re the go-to place for telephone number hosting. But the telecom team at Skydance could be hosting it themselves – perhaps using this as another point of engagement with their productions. I sure hope so! And perhaps they should let people leave messages so we could express our appreciation!
So, to the Skydance telecom team – we salute you! I’m sure there’s a great story behind this. I’d love to hear it if you’re able to talk about it. If you’re a big telecom geek like me, you’re hoping someone noticed these hidden gems and you’re occasionally searching Google for mention of them. Please respond! We’ve noticed and we’re huge fans!
For reference, and to help the Skydance team find this posting, here’s the public North American Numbering Plan information for these five numbers as of 2022-02-13:
Information about number 12294743308:
CNAM: SKYDANCE
LRN: 12298008993
State: GA
Ratecenter: ALBANY
CLLI: ALBYGAMA3MD
LATA: 444
OCN: 067D
Company: ONVOY, LLC – GA
Prefix_Type: CLEC
Information about number 16465685111:
CNAM: SKYDANCE
LRN: 19143509900
State: NY
Ratecenter: CHAPPAQUA
CLLI: NYCMNYZRDBS
LATA: 132
OCN: 155E
Company: PEERLESS NETWORK OF NEW YORK,
Prefix_Type: CLEC
Information about number 19016540115:
CNAM: SKYDANCE
LRN: 19012030000
State: TN
Ratecenter: MEMPHIS
CLLI: MMPHTNMADS7
LATA: 468
OCN: 276F
Company: PEERLESS NETWORK OF TENNESSEE,
Prefix_Type: CLEC
Information about number 16093372601:
CNAM: TRENTON NJ
LRN: 18569550993
State: NJ
Ratecenter: CAMDEN
CLLI: CMDNNJCEX8Z
LATA: 222
OCN: 637C
Company: ONVOY, LLC – NJ
Prefix_Type: CLEC
Information about number 12297858132:
CNAM: MOULTRIE GA
LRN: 12299222993
State: GA
Ratecenter: FITZGERALD
CLLI: FTZGGAXALMD
LATA: 444
OCN: 067D
Company: ONVOY, LLC – GA
Prefix_Type: CLEC
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This is a great, thorough post — well done, sir! For many years, I’ve been doing the same thing as you do, calling numbers in movies (and songs too). My wife just rolls her eyes, and says I have too much free time on my hands!
One of the first numbers I called as a young kid (early 1960s) was from Glenn Miller’s 1940 hit tune, Pennsylvania 6-5000. It’s the phone number for New York City’s famous Hotel Pennsylvania. Although the hotel closed on April 1, 2020, a call to 212-PE6-5000 still gets you a recorded message about the hotel!
And don’t even get me started about 867-5309. Although many have tried getting or using that number in various area codes, a call today to 201-867-5309 gets you the Retro Fitness Support Center. (I hope one can reach Jenny for a good time!)
In Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film, Rear Window, a phone call is made to the evil Lars Thorwald (played skillfully by Raymond Burr). His number, in Manhattan, New York, is Chelsea 2-2799. Alas, a call today to 212-CH2-2799 gets you a non-working number.
In the HBO series, Divorce, one episode shows a for sale by owner real estate sign, with phone number 914-864-7275. Area code 914 covers Westchester county, New York, where the story takes place. Call that phone number, and you’ll get the Westchester county parks information line. In another episode of Divorce, there is a house for sale sign showing the (fictitious) Kouzikas Real Estate Group. The phone number on the sign, 914-995-4860, is actually the Westchester county airport general information line!
Again, kudos on your fine work.
Thank you for these comments, Torrence!
That’s cool about PE6-5000. I know the song well (I played tenor sax in HS and College) but never called the number. I’m sorry to hear the hotel is gone. I thought it would last forever. I hope the phone number does. It’s probably the most famous in the world.
I have also tried 867-5309 a few times, and got “The Jenny Network” several times. I think they try to get the number in as many area codes as they can. I’m not sure who is behind it.
I also know Rear Window well, but never called that number. I wonder if I can get it. Here is the CNAM on it:
Information about number 12122422799:
CNAM: 29 JONES COMPAN:NONE
LRN: 12122422799
State: NY
Ratecenter: NWYRCYZN01
CLLI: NYCMNY18DS1
LATA: 132
OCN: 9104
Company: VERIZON NEW YORK, INC.
Prefix_Type: RBOC
I did a google of 29 Jones Company and they filed for bankruptcy this year.
Interesting about Divorce. Good idea to publish a large well-known number like that. I suppose we might see more of that.
Thanks!
Roger