Area code 900 is a premium-rate area code introduced in the 1980s and used primarily for pay-per-call services in the United States. Unlike standard or toll-free numbers, 900 numbers charge callers a fee, which can be billed per call or per minute, with the revenue shared between the service provider and the phone carrier. Common in the past for adult content, psychic hotlines, entertainment services, and technical support scams, 900 numbers became synonymous with cautionary tales about unexpectedly high phone bills. Due to misuse and public backlash, regulatory restrictions and consumer awareness drastically reduced their popularity in the 2000s. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implemented strict rules, requiring clear disclosures and giving consumers the right to block such numbers. While still available for legitimate business purposes—like legal consultations, voting hotlines, or pay-per-call content—900 numbers are now used far less frequently. Businesses interested in setting up a 900 number must comply with strict billing and consumer protection laws. Today, area code 900 serves more as a legacy of a past era in telecommunications, where phone calls were a medium for entertainment and information before the internet took over.