What is Hotline?


People usually ask me; "What is Hotline?" and "Why I chose Pakistan Hotline as domain and title of this blog?".
So I decided to answer all such questions in a separate post and here it is. Term hotline in the domain name is used to depict that on this blog visitors will be served a variety of useful information about Pakistan just a click away and the matter is fact that it does not have any relevance with the traditional hotline term which is used otherwise for telephonic communications. However, I will enlighten other prospects of the term "hotline".

What is Hotline?

According to Wikipedia:
A hotline is a point-to-point communications link in which a call is automatically directed to the preselected destination without any additional action by the user when the end instrument goes off-hook. An example would be a phone that automatically connects to emergency services on picking up the receiver. Therefore, dedicated hotline phones do not need a rotary dial or keypad. A hotline can also be called an automatic signaling, ringdown, or off-hook service.
According to Cambridge Dictionary:
A hotline is a special direct telephone line that people can use for emergencies, or to get information.
So hotline may be used for an emergency response service, police emergency, rescue services, direct communication system between heads of states and between different departments. It is also referred for customer support services of companies and businesses where a person can call to 24 hours customer care center either by dialing usually a 2 or 3 digit code from landline or mobile or by using a fixed landline connection usually available at the facility of such companies. In case of a fixed landline hotline connection, user need not dial any number, his call is directed just by hooking off the ear-piece from the phone cradle. These helplines are usually toll-free.

Hotlines between Countries

Hotline communications are used by the head of states. Various countries established hotlines e.g. the United States and Russia, USA and UK, USA and China, USA and India, Russia and China, Russia and France, Russia and UK, China and Japan, China and India, North Korea and South Korea, Pakistan and India.

Hotline between Pakistan and India

In 2004, Pakistan and India established a hotline between Islamabad and New Delhi at Foreign Secretaries level aimed at preventing misunderstandings that might lead to war.

Help and Rescue Hotlines in Pakistan

There are several public service and rescue hotlines in Pakistan. These are also called as Helplines. Police 15, Rescue 1122, National Highways and Motorways Helpline 130, Punjab Highway Patrolling Police Helpline 1124, Edhi 115 and various other helplines. There are helpline phones installed at motorways for travellers to make communication to ask for help and assistance.

Commercial and Informational Hotlines/ Helplines in Pakistan

Various private companies and public departments have their helplines. For example, Banks have direct dialing fixed landline telephones installed at ATM cabins where customers can call help centers for information and complaints just by picking the phone. Telephone and mobile companies also offer these services.

1 Comments

  1. Dear Sir
    i punched another mobile no instead my self, why i correct it. please guide

    ReplyDelete
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