5 Awesome Facts About Phone Numbers

1. How Numbers Came to Use

When phones were first invented all you had to do was call the operator and asked to be patched through to a particular person's phone line by name. Dr. Moses Greeley Parker, a friend of Alexander Graham Bell was the first to question this system. The city where he loved had an outbreak of measles and he brought up that if the towns phone operator were to become sick, the replacements would have a hard time running the system. Numbers were the obvious choice as a better solution.

2. The First U.S. Area Codes

Area codes as an idea, first came about in late forties, but were not fully established until 1951 with the intro of New Jersey's 201 area code. Originally, there were 90 codes and they were given based on the population. Cities with the largest population were given codes that were

easier to dial on a rotary (yes, I said rotary) phone. For instance, New York is 212 and Los Angeles 213. More Rural places would get codes like 915.

3. The 411 on Emergency Numbers

Emergency numbers are different from country to country. The standard number for United States and Canada is 911, while in Europe the number is 112. 911 was originally known as nine-eleven but was later changed to nine-one-one as people were getting confused because they could not find the "11" button. In some states in the US it is possible to dial "3473" which spells fire.

4. Fictional Numbers for the Film Industry

There was originally a phone exchange named "Klondike" that was used to generate fake numbers for TV and films in America. The prefix 555 evolved from this system and have been set aside purely for fictional purposes. 01632 is the recommended code in the UK.

5. Last but not least, a Cool Phone Number Magic Trick

This is a cool phone number trick you can use to have your friends scratching their heads thanks to a little math riddle. Use the 7 digits of your phone number. 555-9875. Multiply the first three digits by 80. Add one. Multiply by 250. Add the last four digits of the original phone number. Add the last four digits again. Subtract 250 and divide by two. Mind Blown!

Hope you enjoyed the blog, visit or website at  www.datavo.com

Celebrate Women's History Month with Datavo!

Women’s History Month is celebrated each year in March. It is a celebration of women's contributions to history, culture and society. The United States has observed it annually throughout the month of March since 1987. Although women’s history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors - social, religious, economic, and biological - have worked to create a unique sphere of women's history.

The stories of women’s achievements are integral to the fabric our history. Until relatively recently, this sphere of women's history was overlooked and undervalued. Women’s achievements were often distorted, disdained, and denied. But, knowing women’s stories provides essential role models for everyone. And role models are genuinely needed to face the extraordinary changes and unrelenting challenges of the 21st century.

Learning about women’s tenacity, courage, and creativity throughout the centuries is a tremendous source of strength.

Datavo proudly celebrates all of the many contributions women have made to our society.

Agoura Hills - A Brief History

Panorama of Agoura Hills and Westlake Village with Ballard Mountain prominent as the leftmost peak in the image.

Datavo is now located in sunny Agoura Hills, California so we thought we would give you a brief history of our new town!

The area now known as Agoura Hills was inhabited for many hundreds of years by the Chumash tribe of Native Americans. Very few of them lived in the area permanently since it was much easier to get year around food closer to the shore, but during the autumn some would camp out, collect acorns, and hunt different animals such as deer and rabbit.

Explorers from Spain visited California in the 1500's and 1600's for brief periods of time. It wasn't until the end of the 1700's when the Spanish missinaires built the El Camino Real (also known as the King's Highway) connecting all of their missions through out Alta California that the people were here to stay. The road went right through the middle of what is Agoura Hills today. 

In 1800, the Spanish King granted Miguel Ortega a land grant called Rancho Las Virgenes - covering 17,000 acres, which was abandoned after his death in 1810. It was then given to Jose Maria Dominguez as a Mexican land grant in 1834. During this time agriculture played a big role in the history of the city. In 1845 the ranch was purchased by  Maria Antonia Machado de Reyes. (The Reyes Adobe Museum was opened in 2004 and is located in central Agoura Hills and includes the city's oldest building.) 

Agoura Hills is a picturesque area and by the early 1900's it was a popular stop along the Camino Real due to the natural springs at the foot of Ladyface Mountain. As a testament to the areas beauty, by the 1920's the city was briefly known as Picture City due to Paramount Pictures owning a ranch in the area that was used to film numerous Westerns. The name Agoura Hills came about because the residents were required to pick a one-word name, and in 1927 chose the shortest named suggested: a misspelling of Pierre Agoure's last name, who was a Frenchman that settled in the area in 1871. 

During the 1960's Agoura Hills saw a surge in population once the Ventura Freeway section of Highway 101 was built right through the city's heart separating the north and the south sides of the city from each other. The growth continued through the 1970's when schools and the downtown section of the city were erected.

In 1982, Agoura Hills received its cityhood, becoming the 83rd city in Los Angeles County. Throughout the 1990's the city saw more growth and many businesses setting up shop, with downtown filled with shops and restaurants. The 90's also brought the live music scene to the city and many well known bands such as Linkin Park, Incubus, Hoobastank, Dead by Sunrise, and Fort Minor originated from here. 

Today, Agoura Hills is a diverse family community with numerous hiking trails, biking trails, public and private country clubs, tennis, swimming, boating, libraries, nightlife, restaurants, quality medical facilities and neighborhood events.