# touch tone telephones

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touch-tone-telephones/5536>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 1999, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touch-tone-telephones/5536 "1999-12-23T09:40:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 1999, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touch-tone-telephones/5536/1 "1999-12-23T09:40:00Z")

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I did try and find this answer before I present this question but was unable to do so. Why does # 1 have no letters on it and q and z are omitted from the remaining buttons?

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**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 1999, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touch-tone-telephones/5536/2 "1999-12-23T10:30:00Z")

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Cecil’s answers to your questions appear in the classic article [Why is there no Q on the telephone dial?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_378b.html)

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 1999, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touch-tone-telephones/5536/3 "1999-12-24T05:22:00Z")

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Thank you for directing me to that response which answers beautifully all my questions on this topic.