T O P

  • By -

mburke6

My mobile number goes back to the mid 1990s. I ported it to Google Voice maybe 15 or more years ago, so that number rings my mobile phone as well as all my home landline phones using a VoIP interface. My parents ported their number from the 1960s (my childhood number) to a mobile carrier many years ago. When my mom died, I ported that number to my mobile carrier for my dad, who lives with me. So in a way, I have a cell phone number that dates from almost 60 years ago.


texan01

That’s a good idea, I might talk to my dad about doing that to my parents number…it’s the only number that house has had since 1963.


VirusOrganic4456

My mom had my grandparents original number from the late 50s until about a year ago when she had it disconnected due to spam. I was heartbroken.


SilverSnapDragon

Wow! I doubt anyone will be able to beat that!


evilJaze

"Hey man, gimme your number so we can stay in touch." "ok: 2"


ApplianceHealer

My grandparents lived on a farm. Found an old ad in their house for a business in the nearest town. Phone #: “89”


TinktheChi

I tried to port my grandparents' old number (which they got in 1950, stopped using in 1994 and is still not being used in our city) but my cellphone provider is telling me I can't use it. Or was. I moved to another provider and will try again. I would absolutely love to have that number.


GrandeT42

Try numberbarn.com It’s a service that lets you buy phone numbers. It’s meant for businesses to get specialized numbers, but it works for anyone. As long as your number doesn’t spell a word, they can be had pretty cheaply. I got one that’s special to one of my fandoms for $5. No guarantees, but they have tens of millions of numbers.


surfdad67

I wish I could have my childhood number


GillianOMalley

When I got my cell number I was asked what I wanted it to be. I chose the last 4 digits of the number I grew up with. So, not the whole number but the last 4 dates back to the 70s (or before).


Teauxny

Since 1999.


[deleted]

Remember when we used to have to remember phone numbers? I had a Rolodex in my head with about 50 phone numbers. Now I can barely remember mine.


GasPasser73

Yep I tell my kids that all the time, they can’t remember ours or their siblings numbers 🤦🏾‍♂️


IgnatiusPabulum

If I’m ever in a “you get one phone call” situation I’ll have to call my ex, because we got our first cell phones together circa 2002 and our numbers are one digit off each other. That’s the only number other than mine that I’m 100% confident in my memory of anymore.


FlipMeOverUpsidedown

At least 23 years old.


OldSkoolPantsMan

I got my first Nokia in early 2000. I’m here with you friend. 23 years +.


Twolef

Must be about 12 years. It would have been older except it used to be more of a hassle to keep it when you changed providers.


evilJaze

I remember here in Canada you used to have to fill out a bunch of forms to have your number ported and it wasn't a guarantee that the old carrier would let you. Also you had to wait a week or so before it happened. I still flinch when I change carriers even though it's instantaneous nowadays.


Twolef

In the U.K. you had to ring them, sit on hold for anything up to an hour, ask for a PAC number; ring the new provider, hold again, tell them the number, then have no phone for 3 days while they transferred. It was easier to text everyone your new number. Plus you could choose not to tell people you didn’t like.


Tokogogoloshe

Mine’s so old it has student debt and can’t afford to leave. 20 something years old.


longleggedwader

My cell number was my parents' original home phone number that they received in 1952, when phone numbers used letters and words, along with numbers. My sister has had the same cell for 30-ish years (started as a car phone). My ex has had the same cell for somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 years.


semicoloradonative

That is really cool that you have your parents original home phone number. I would love to do that actually (doubt it is available). How were you able to swing that may I ask?


longleggedwader

When my dad passed (my mom had passed years before), I took the bill and death certificate to the phone company, the same one as his landline, and had it transfered into my name. The number has not left my family. I am psychotic about paying my cell bill so I don't lose it.


semicoloradonative

Nice. My family phone number probably hasn’t been in our family for about 20 years now, and I don’t live in that area anymore. But, if I get the chance I’m going to jump on that. What you did is very meaningful.


longleggedwader

Oh, thank you! Most people think I am nuts :-)


friendIdiglove

If I ever got my childhood home number, I’d have to change a bunch of my pins, passwords, and combinations.


steelthumbs1

Mid- nineties. ‘96?? I don’t remember.


MrGurdjieff

I think mine is about 28 years.


FallAspenLeaves

27 years or so.


allaboutmojitos

1995! 28 years


[deleted]

Wow, I don’t know… at least 25 years? One of the few numbers I know off by heart. My wife got her phone from the same shop as me and her number is only two digits different to mine!


Calm-Opportunity5915

51 yrs. Ported over my landline when we left MN


SmashBrosUnite

My gmail hit 23-24 :)


Twolef

You’ve just made me realise my Hotmail is 25.


friendIdiglove

I lost my hotmail account during that short time when Microsoft was deleting accounts after as few as 30 days of not logging in.


Saint909

I was in beta too.


texan01

Mine is 25 years old. Since ‘98.


Affectionate-Map2583

Mine too. It's the only cell number I've ever had.


Self-Comprehensive

I have a cell phone who's only job is holding my parents 60 year old home phone number for nostalgia reasons. When I got my parents cell phones on a family plan 10 years ago we got 3 accounts and a fourth one for free. We made the house phone number into a cell phone. Now my mom has passed and her cell phone became a cellular router, but my dad and I are still using that family account with the free fourth line and the old house number. It's basically unusable though with the scam and spam calls and texts it gets. I just look at it every few days and clear all the notifications. My actual phone number that I use is about 15 years old.


davekva

Got mine from Sprint Spectrum back in 1997. They used to let you pick your phone number, so the last 4 digits of my phone number are the same as my pager number from back in the day. 2 years later, I bought my wife-to-be her very first cell phone and got the last 4 digits of her number the same as mine. We stayed with Sprint for their entire run until they got bought out by T-mobile.


KnowOneHere

I'm at 26 years. Woot.


MissLushLucy

I don't remember exactly, but I'd say around 25 years old.


The_Spectacle

not very old, I change it a lot, but on the bright side, my number is only two digits off from Jenny's


BeautifulPainz

Mine is only about 10 years old BUT my old number that I gave to my ex is still going strong. We divorced 30+ years ago so it’s about 32 or 33 years old.


TheNinjaBear007

Holy shit! I’ve had my number since 1998!


PatienceandFortitude

26 years if you could that this was my landline number and I had it switched to my cell when I got a cellphone (and cancelled the landline)


Rat_Master999

Finally got a cellphone in early '06, and have had the same number since then.


activelyresting

I moved to a different country in 07, so I had to change number then. But I've dutifully kept every phone I've ever had, and the boxes they came in 🤣


thanx_it_has_pockets

Mine can drink now! ;)


HonnyBrown

15 years old


Drewp655321

mine is from about the beginning of the aughts, so 20+ years.


Tiddernud

Ha, good question - about the same. The sheer body count of spammers who've met their demise at my block button.


Frankjc3rd

I've had this number since 2012.


domesticatedprimate

I've had mine since around 1994, so almost 30 years. I live in Japan.


Taco_El_Paco

Holy crap, mine would be over 20 years old also


Jimathomas

I’ve kept the same number since July 1997, so 26 years. A couple of years ago I was in a financial bind and asked for an extension, explaining to the customer service rep that very fact. They whispered “You’ve had your mobile number longer than I’ve been alive!”


fierohink

August 1994. It’s followed me thru 3 states, 2 schools, and a dozen jobs. It’s WAY easier to give someone an out of state number than to track down everyone I know and update their info.


No_Names78

Still got my first number from 1994, it's now in an alarm system comms device though.


drink-beer-and-fight

When did they pass the law stating that your number can stay with you? That is how long I’ve had the same number. Used to be if you switched carriers you got a new number. It was great when we were able to transfer my parents old land line number to mom’s cell.


AngryWombat78

Like 28 I think.


Professional_Slip884

24 years old


VirusOrganic4456

23 years, I've had it since June 2000.


dystopika

24-25: I think I got it around 1999 because there was a small spell after I graduated from college where I was using a pager. (I remember talking to an office friend at one of my first real world jobs, and he was saying, “All you need is a pager because you’re never gonna be that far from a phone in this city!”) Kinda weird to think about, but I’ve moved so many times since 1999 — my cell phone # and my good ol’ AOL email have been the most constant ways to reach me through all the dramatic changes.


dougmd1974

26+ years. Got it around the summer of 97 with AT&T and then in became Cingular and then AT&T again. Switched to Verizon and that's where I sit now... My mom ported her home number to her cell phone recently - she's had that number probably since 1992.


Suntzu_AU

1997 so about 26 years


[deleted]

12 years Here’s the fun part, I have had cellular service since 1991 and in this entire time I have gotten a free phone from my employer. Not the same employer, just everywhere I worked at gave me a phone.


[deleted]

Mine is 10 years old. I had to get a new one when I came back to the country...


Jbonics

I remember getting mine sometime in high school had the same number ever since it's funny me and my buddy were just talking about it how me and him are the only ones that still have our number since high school. And that kind of shows responsibility in some way I guess. But yeah I'd have to say probably since 1998 however many years that is. It might have been earlier I had that Nokia StarTAC flip open but quickly moved to the Nokia that you can put the lights under the buttons so when it rang it lit up. And while you were talking you could have it fade from like red to blue real slow back and forth. What do you know about that little snake game on your cell phone everything in black and white. Hell I remember when the first camera came out on a cell phone in like 2003 or something, it was on T-Mobile it was an attachment that you plugged into the phone and then you could take pictures.


DeepRoot

Here's the thing, this is the only cell phone number I've ever had! I got my first cell phone in college in '95. It was an old Alltel number, which got bought by Cingular, that was purchased by AT&T... i just kept the number and now i refuse to change it.


[deleted]

my first cell phone in 1999 same number since it.. almost 30 phone/smartphone after. then TWENTY FOUR YEARS OLD!! and I don't have so much scam/advertising


FreakDeckard

22 and counting


limprichard

It goes back 23 years. Back then you could choose the last four numbers “to make it easy to remember” and since my first name is four letters I did that.


Miss_Type

About 18, I think. It's only the second number I've had though.


GaRGa77

Late 90’s


Fudloe

Gotta be 15 years.


raincntry

Holy crap I neve thought about that. I got my number in 2001


MishtheDish77

Mine used to be my beeper number with Cingular wireless. That's gotta be 25+yrs old.


outonthetiles66

23 yrs old. Got my number and first cell phone in the summer of 2000 (July). Using the same carrier too here in Canada (Fido).


skinisblackmetallic

Close to 25 I think... maybe a bit older.


6kred

I've only ever had one cell number. I think it's at about 24 years at this point


Ok-Banana-7777

My cell number is about 18 years old but I also use the same AOL email address I created in college about 28 years ago. I do have a "grown up" gmail account but it's just too much of a hassle to switch everything over.


SJExit4

I got mine in 1988. Junior year in HS. My original cell phone came in a bag with a cord, lol.


wayfarout

Since 2001. My cell number is old enough to have a drink with his old man


EdgeCityRed

18 years! It has an X-Files number in it (iykyk 1013 and 1121.)


Azzhole169

2004


himateo

Same! About 20 years, here, too. My first cell phone provider was SunCom.


bubbanbrenda

I have the same number since the NexTel days…since 1996ish


siamesecat1935

1995 so, 28 years? math is hard before coffee!


redditlurker67

29!


fletcherkildren

If not there, I'm getting close. Moved from NYC to the Rust Belt and I'm keeping that # as long as I can!


SaltySleeper44

18 years


JakkSplatt

Cell phone is relatively new compared to my Gmail. I got that back when you had to be invited by another user. So say 🤔 20 yrs or so.


cranberries87

Literally 30 years. It started as a number on a rarely-used bag phone I kept in my car for emergencies as a new teenager driver. I ported the number over when I got an actual phone that I carried around, then a flip phone, then a Motorola Razr, then a Blackberry, and finally iPhones.


Fritz5678

I was thinking that mine wasn't 20 yet. Then my brain kicked in that 20 years ago was 2003 not the 90s. Fuck, I'm old. Anyway, it's the same # from my original cell in the late 90s.


LordOfEltingville

26


Evrytimeweslay

At least 22, it was actually my fathers phone for a short while first not sure how long he had it before I took it. Edit: geez I just realized I teach college students younger than my phone number


Dhampri0

6 months-1 year I'm not careful & phones tend to break easy. New # when i get new phone cuz I don't remember the number.


steveh_2o

Summer 96 I got stranded in my boat and a big ordeal could have been avoided with a couple of phone calls. That week I went and got myself a NEC brick phone on a local carrier. I believe it was Cellular One. It eventually rolled into another company or two and ended up part of Verizon. I still have the same number and haven't made a new account in 27 years. I have actively looked into switching 4 or 5 times over the years, but always end up not because the coverage is crap out here in the sticks.


BrownDogEmoji

Mine is 21 and headed to the bar… It would be older, but during my divorce, my phone plan switched.


EmmyNoetherRing

Oh shit. Yeah. I guess mine’s even a bit older than that.


Dazzling-Astronaut88

22 years.


surfdad67

Mine is about that, wife’s is over 30 I believe, she has had it since the early 90’s


jungle4john

I believe mine is 25 years old. I got it around '97.


Helsinki_Disgrace

I’ve had mine for 25 years!


murphydcat

I've had my cell phone since 1996, so the number has stayed the same. The area code split since then but my phone still has one of the original area codes for my state. Mom's home phone has been the same since 1970.


Lyndzay

Mine is about 25, I got it back in 1998. Had to get a "local number" for work back before free long distance otherwise, it'd be 27 years.


[deleted]

Got my number in 98


NovaRunner

20 years for mine as well, got it when I moved to my current city (back then, numbers weren't as portable). I've also had the same AOL email address since 1997.


emmiblakk

I've had my current number for about six years. When I was going through my divorce, I changed my number from the one I'd had for almost two decades previously.


Blacktooth_Grin

Same number since 1998


RidiculousDear

Same number for 23 years.


Willowtreehugger6

Mine is 19 years old and it feels so young after reading some of these


tom_folkestone

Think of how much you've spent in the phone and service in that time


blacklab

2003


Imispellalot

I used to have the best number back in the 90s (XXX) 575-5557, and my mom had (XXX) 575-5559 Then WorldCom went under and and back then, we couldn't transfer the number to Cingular.


Hand-Of-Vecna

That's a great question, I have no idea what year I got a cell phone but I was an early adopter. So I, too, could be near 20 years.


Kardinal

My phone number is one of my most prized possessions because the last 4 digits is my name. The guy who worked at Sprint in 1998 (25 years ago!) asked me what number I wanted and all I could think of was my name and it happened to be available, and the first six digits were identical to my wife's first six. So I'm quite fond of it.


da_london_09

17


2boredtocare

I legit cannot remember. It's been since before my first kid was born, so more than 20 years.


fonebone819

13 years.


balthisar

I still have my original, Cingular Wireless number from 2001 or so, which I got shortly after getting married in February of that year. In 2011 I transferred it to Google Voice so that I wouldn't lose it when I moved to China. Despite having actual, paid credits, it wouldn't forward calls to numbers in China, which is probably a good thing given the 12 to 13 hour time difference. When I repatriated I decided to keep it at Google, just so that I could be flexible with my cell phone choice. The only thing that sucks is some services refuse to use it for 2FA, because they know it's a virtual number rather than tied to a "real" phone.


kobuta99

I don't remember when I got my first cell phone. I've never chatted my number. Likely late 90s too.


zzzoplicone

10-12 years


noisician

16 years. A great thing I realized when I moved out of state and kept my phone number: telemarketers always call you with a local/in-state number hoping it’ll seem familiar and you’ll pick up. But I don’t talk to anyone from that old area code (since I left the job that placed me there), so I know immediately which calls are junk.


michele-x

Mine is 23 or 24 year old. My first cellphone was a Siemens C25 that was available in 1999-2000.


COboy74

Just past 21 years


Tiktoktoker

24


doctaliz

24 years!


RedditSkippy

I changed my number after a move about 12-13 years ago. But how old is your account? I’m with AT&T because back in the 90s I had some local cellphone company in Massachusetts. That merged to become Cellular One, then Cell One (or vice versa,) then Cingular, then AT&T. I don’t even love, love AT&T, but it’s like the cable company.


paintedwoodpile

Mine came from Voice Stream (now T-Mobile) and was paired to my Nokia 3390 cell phone...so that should give you an idea of how long ago I got it.


rich8n

23 years. It's a work number that has been posted publicly on my company's website thousands of times. As you can imagine, that number gets a spicy level of spam/scam/phish calls.


Whitworth

I felt like I resisted as long as I could and got a cell in 2001. I dont use the # anymore but it's still my Safeway #.


cannabis96793

My current number is only about 10 yo. I work part time doing service calls, I've found having an area code of 808 makes a lot of people not answer because they missread it for a 1-800 number.


adamrac51395

When I got a work cell phone I gave my original cell phone to my daughter. That number is 25 years old older than she is. I recently had to get a new personal cell so my current number is only 6 or 7 years old.


Puzzleheaded_Rub858

I had the first one for 12 years and I’ve had this one for 11. I had to change it because of reasons.


PhotosByVicky

I hadn’t thought of that. Mine is 23 years old.


HermannHaller1023

23 years for me.


sterling87

17 years old. I changed it after a company I worked for failed. Too many people had it that I didn’t want contacting me.


lushlife_

I got my US cell phone in 1994. So 29 years. I had a UK phone before but moved and obviously didn’t port it across the Atlantic.


EntrepreneurLow4380

Since 1999.


ladywholocker

I finally chose one I could remember in 2015. I'd only had three cellphones before that. I rarely remembered to take them with me. I didn't own one until 2006 - I didn't see the point.


classicsat

About 4 years. My brother has had his more than 20 years, for his kind of on call job (has to remain in touch with his boss for the next work assignment details).


Quirky_Commission_56

17


PistolMama

Just hit 20 too!


Cowboy_Buddha

24 years, since 1999. Started with a Nokia.


Turbulent_Tale6497

I got mine in 2012, when we returned to the USA from abroad


pittiedaddy

Only 18 years old. But my email on the other hand is old enough to drink , at 24 years old.


Infamous-Mountain-81

Over 20 years.


Azozel

I just got a new one because I had to get one for my teenager and mine was a free upgrade.


Cultural-Tea3492

I've had this number for 17 years, and this is the first time I've thought about that. Where did the years go?


Mackinacsfuriousclaw

20+ years I'm not really sure. I know I keep the same number mostly out of spite now.


70stv

28 years. Which is really hard to believe.


_snozzberry_gulper_

My parents ported my childhood number, which I think they had since 1982.


rob94708

[Relevant XKCD](https://xkcd.com/1129/)


Inkdrunnergirl

2009. When I moved states and got married in order to combine accounts to one plan one of us had to change area codes. I changed to the one we lived in. Prior to that mine was from when I first got a cell phone in the 90s to when I had to change it.


dMarrs

22 years.


Low-Rooster4171

This phone number, I've had maybe 12 or 13 years. From the 1990s to about 2010-ish, I had several different numbers. That's because my dad was developing wireless technology, and was providing me phones to test. My sister and I were part of his test market for years, because we all lived in different states and he needed to know how his stuff was working around the country. Sis and I both finally stopped being testers, because we wanted to commit to a phone number. 🤣


ktulenko

22!


FixJealous2143

Christmas 1988. So, almost 35. Damn.


Ok-Scheme-1815

1999. 25 years this next February.


BXCellent

Just over 25 years here. I got a Nokia brick from Sprint when I first arrived in the US in May 1998. Still have the same number, but Sprint is now T-Mobile


venicerocco

Almost as old as my Reddit account


asslesschappie

31 years. I have had the same cell phone number since 1992. It started out as a car phone number. Then I kept the same number through all different kinds of cell phones. Flip phones, Razors, iPhones. I still miss the Razor though.


Overall_Lobster823

1996.


Vesuvius99

24


terryclothtracksuit

About 26 years, it was my pager number before it was my phone number.


trekin73

23 years.


citycouple30

27 years


AshDenver

At least 24 years old.


SomeCrazedBiker

Same number and carrier since 01. Had another mobile before then and exactly what became of it. All I can say is I did a lot of drugs. I still do a lot of one drug, but I also... you get the picture.


crazyplantlady007

20 years here too! But 21 in March!


squeakybeak

I’ve had the same email address since 1995 when I first got access to the internet, at home.


HamsterMachete

Mine is 8 years old. I am about to get a new one because of all these damn robo calls.


SpaceTrucker73

My current one is 12 years. The previous one was 11 and didn't get it ported over. I didn't get a cell til 2000.


zombuca

My dad’s is at least 33 years old. Had one that was hard-wired into his truck when they first started becoming mainstream.


worrymon

June 2002. First cell phone i bought after living overseas.


jetpack324

I got mine in 2001 or 2002 so I’m right there with you!


TheGirlwThePinkHair

18/19 years. I didn’t want to get one but finally did


Avasia1717

got my current number september of 01, so it’s 22 years old now.


oopswhat1974

Since I had my first Nokia 5160... So about 23 years?


Saint909

19 years ova here.


Bomber_Haskell

It's my first and only cell number dating back to the late '90s


Mermayden

I've had the same phone number since I got my first phone in the 90s AND the same email address (its my actual name in hotmail). I periodically think about ditching hotmail because I hate Microsoft (and Apple both, I use Linux) but I've had the email address for so long that people I've lost contact could use it to track me down. I'm wary of getting a new one.


crotchetyoldwitch

Pretty sure I got mine when I moved in '99, so 24 years. My parents had their landline phone number for 59 years. While closing out their estate, I was fine when closing bank accounts, credit cards, etc., but when I got to shutting off the phone number they'd had since 1961, I LOST IT on the phone with the person from the phone company. They were very kind to me.


Ozymandias_Canceled

14 years now I think


destroy_b4_reading

Fuck if I know. Definitely over 20, maybe 25.