How do people answer the phone in Britain?

I read this and immediately thought "No, it's Darrowby 85" (that's eight-five, not eighty-five).  But why one earth should I think that when I haven't seen the show in 20 years??  Now I don't have any way of knowing whether I'm remembering it right or not...

And I thought it was 381....it's on UKTV Gold, I am actaully going to check tomorrow.

We answered the phone with the number until the early 80's, when I think BT ran a campaign against it, prob for security reasons.

Vicky

My granma used to answer the phone ala Minnie Pearl, "HOW-Dee!" and I confess to answering in that manner on occasion myself, in tribute.


mwhahahaha.

Howdy, y'all.

My mother-in-law used to answer with the last 4 digits and she used to get us to do it when we stayed with her for a short time but I could honesty never remember and just said hello every time.  DW thought she did it because she didn't want to sound too friendly to the caller if it wasn't someone she knew!  Maybe it was just a throwback to a more formal time?  I can see the reason as well to inform the caller of the number in case they misdialed.

They had phones like that in the US, Paul.  Not as eleborate as that, just a smaller white phone with a button on it so it wouldn't charge you the money you put in until you talk, so you press the "talk" button.  They were very rare but when I found one I would called They Might Be Giants "Dial-a-Song" in Brooklyn for free and just listen to the music they put on their answering machine for free!

I know someone (in the US) who's father (paranoid musician) used to answer the phone "Identify yourself!".  If the person tried to say "Hello" or "Excuse me, but is..." he would cut them off and repeat "Identify yourself!" If they did not give him a name he would hang up on them. Hello high school dating hell!

lmfao sorry I'm sitting here alone cracking up just playing that in my head!...too funny!

No...normal "Hello" is all i've heard and adam's parents are older. Never heard them answer the phone like that.

DH and all of our friends say "hello?" I know one person who answers with four digits and he's 50-odd, so yes, definitely an old fashioned way of answering. I sort of like it in a weird way. 

I like it, too! I don't do it myself, but I do like it!

Most of my friends just answer with 'Hello.' One friend's husband answers with his name: "John Smith." Some of them use our village name with the last three digits of the phone number (we all have the same first three digits): "Anytown 468."

In the US, a few oldies I knew used to answer with phone digits, as well. As in the UK, it was just a throwback to the days of operators. My best friend's grandmother always answered the phone that way.

They had phones like that in the US, Paul.  Not as eleborate as that, just a smaller white phone with a button on it so it wouldn't charge you the money you put in until you talk, so you press the "talk" button. 

It sounds as though it might have been a COCOT (Customer-Owned Coin-Operated Telephone), i.e. a private payphone.   How far back are you going?   

The usual arrangement for a public payphone in the U.S. (both the old 3-slot ones and the later single-slot models) was to have the coin collect or return done automatically by the central office equipment.

Some of them use our village name with the last three digits of the phone number (we all have the same first three digits): "Anytown 468."

The village was quite probably served by a UAX in the past and would have had 3-digit local numbering.  Well into the 1980s there were still places all over the U.K. where you could make a local call within the village by just dialing three digits. 

my maiden name is ferguson, so my mom used to answer every once in awhile: 'fergie's funny farm!'

Sometimes when I'm answering, and thinking it might be my husband, I say, 'Yeah'. It's kind of funny when it's not him.

love your avatar, desert dreamer

"Missy's Massage Parlour - we never rub you the wrong way."   

On particularly busy days, I have slipped and answered "Grand Central Station".... 

Sometimes when I'm answering, and thinking it might be my husband, I say, 'Yeah'. It's kind of funny when it's not him.

I'm really scared that one of these days I'll answer, "Hello, Bunny!" and it won't be him! 

One thing I love is when I call someone inter-office and they say "Oh, I didn't recognise your voice" - I'm the only American in the building!

No specific advice on how to answer the phone, but these pages are from a rather delightful little book for children titled "The Telephone and How We Use It," published by Bell in the U.S. in 1952:

The village was quite probably served by a UAX in the past and would have had 3-digit local numbering.  Well into the 1980s there were still places all over the U.K. where you could make a local call within the village by just dialing three digits. 

If it continued well into the '80s, that explains why it's not just 'old-timers' who do it! Thanks for that, Paul.

My boyfriend and I live on a big Dutch barge (that used to be a hotel for 26!) so we always pick up with "Hello, Hendrik" (the boat's name). It confuses the hell out of telemarketers, but any family members or trade workmen or suppliers know exactly what "Hendrik" is. It's like our secret code!