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Old 8th Jul 2021, 8:22 pm   #7
Graham G3ZVT
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,724
Default Re: Telephone with Mercury button

You weren't expected to remember your 10 digit PIN.
The blue button was typically programmed thus:

131[pause][10 digit PIN]

The PIN was sent as DTMF but very often the local exchange was yet to be "modernised" so the initial 131 had to be sent as LD followed by the appropriate command (*) to switch the remaining digits to DTMF.

Some businesses opted for cost-centre codes, these were any arbitrary 2 or 3 digit code appended after the PIN, and Mercury would separate out each unique code on their itemised bill.

Later came the Mercury 132 service which worked the same as all the other indirect carriers we all got to know.
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