# No Q on phone dial

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-q-on-phone-dial/245190>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 14, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-q-on-phone-dial/245190 "2004-05-14T22:45:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![agnus\_kerbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@agnus\_kerbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agnus_kerbo)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-q-on-phone-dial/245190/1 "2004-05-14T22:45:38Z")

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Wire codes for telephone,military,electrical etc. Usually do not use the alpha characters I,O,Q,U,V,W,Z. Why?, I could be a 1;O,Q look the same as well as U,V .  
W is a M upside down,and Z can be a 2. The phone company uses the vowels for  
the dial.

agnus

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-q-on-phone-dial/245190/2 "2004-05-15T12:27:46Z")

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Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, **agnus** , glad to have you with us.

When you start a new thread, it’s helpful to others if you provide a link to the column you’re commenting on. Keeps us all on the same page, saves time searching, etc. No biggie, you’ll know for next time. In this case: [Why is there no Q on the telephone dial?"](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_378b.html)

It’s obviously an old column, and might be updated someday to “Why do we still call it a ‘dial’?”