BT Phonecards with a '999' control number

British Telecom (BT) telephone cards produced by Landis & Gyr between 1981 and 1996 all featured a control number on the reverse. What is a control number?

A 999 prefixed control number e.g. 999C00555 was used (like the emergency telephone number) in an emergency to help make up the total batch of cards ordered when a shortfall was en-countered. The shortfall in production may have been down to a number of cards in the original batch being defective in some way.

Pictured above: Christmas 1990 BT Phonecard has the following 999 control number: 999C00555.

Control numbers beginning with '999'; are then followed with either an A, B, or C and then the cards five digit unique number.

One collector discusses his collection of 300+ BT Phonecards without a control number and 140+ BT Phonecards with either a 999A, 999B or 999C control number. Read more.

BT Phonecards seen with a 999 control number include:

999A prefix

‣BTA015 - Texas Homecare - 20units - split control number: 999 A02 489

‣BTA045 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes - 20units - control number: 999A12807
‣BTA045 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes - 20units - control number: 999A15733
‣BTA045 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes - 20units - control number: 999A17346
‣BTA045 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes - 20units - control number: 999A20098
‣BTA045 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes - 20units - control number: 999A20424

‣BTC027 - Wildlife Appeal: Otter - 40units - split control number: 999 A00 388

‣BTC043 - Belfast Tall Ships Race - 20units - split control number: 999 A02 085

‣BTC046 - Rugby World Cup 1991 - 40units - split control number: 999 A02 138

‣BTC067 - National Children's Home Chris - 20units - control number: 999A06078

‣BTC106 - Aladdin (2) Genie - 20units - control number: 999A36314

‣BTC177 - Euro 1996 (4) Alan Shearer - 20units - split control number: 999 A40 180

‣BTD038 - 8th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999A03946
‣BTD038 - 8th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999A04741

‣BTD047 - 10th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999A23719

‣BTI003 - East Anglia District - 10units - split control number: 999 A01 877

‣BTI004 - City of London District - 10units - split control number: 999 A01 882

‣BTI005 - Severnside District - 10units - split control number: 999 A01 853

Pictured above: Texas Homecare BT Phonecard has the following 999 split control number: 999 A02 489.

999B Prefix

‣BTC011 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 20units - control number: 999B50274
‣BTC011 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 20units - control number: 999B50428
‣BTC011 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 20units - control number: 999B50443

‣BTC012 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 40units - control number: 999B34196
‣BTC012 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 40units - control number: 999B34954
‣BTC012 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 40units - control number: 999B36086
‣BTC012 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 40units - control number: 999B39143
‣BTC012 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 40units - control number: 999B39305
‣BTC012 - Winter 1989 Pheasant - 40units - control number: 999B39511

‣BTD015 - 3rd Issue Phonecard definitive - 40units - control number: 999B01911
‣BTD015 - 3rd Issue Phonecard definitive - 40units - control number: 999B07971
‣BTD015 - 3rd Issue Phonecard definitive - 40units - control number: 999B08827

‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999B50850
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999B50874
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999B51649
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999B54552

‣BTP003 - Landis & Gyr - 50 Millionth Card - 20units - control number: 999B00066

999C Prefix

‣BTC031 - Christmas 1990 - 100units - control number: 999C00422
‣BTC031 - Christmas 1990 - 100units - control number: 999C00555

‣BTC014 - Gateshead Garden Festival - 20units - control number: 999C06041

‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C03606
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C06179
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C07141
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C11744
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C11751
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C12478
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C12979
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C13848
‣BTD024 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 20units - control number: 999C13905

‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C50324
‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C51005
‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C51045
‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C51700
‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C52384
‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C52651
‣BTD026 - 5th Issue Phonecard definitive - 100units - control number: 999C53043

Exception to the rule

Although the '999' control number was strictly used to help make up a shortfall in the numbers of cards that were required or commissioned, there was one exception to the rule...

...the Landis & Gyr 50 Millionth Card (pictured below) which features the text "50,000,000 Phonecards for British Telecom 1988" uses the prefix control number 999B on all of the phonecards in the production run.

Pictured above - Landis & Gyr celebrate 50,000,000 Phonecards for British Telecom in 1988 with a special BT telephone card. The phone card is the only BT issue to feature a '999' prefix control number on the reverse of all cards.

In 1984 production of Landis & Gyr BT Phonecards moved to Landis & Gyr's UK factory in Acton, London, and the format/layout for BT Phonecards control numbers changed.

Optical Phonecard Control Numbers: Further Reading

For further information about Landis & Gyr optical telephone card control numbers you may find the following links useful:

‣What is a Phonecard control number?
‣Phonecards without a control number
‣Phonecards with a 'split' control number
‣Phonecards with a 'shifted' control number

Do you have a optical BT Phonecard with a 999 control number? I'd be keen to hear from you, please contact me and tell me more about the card, or better still, send over a photo or scan of both sides of the telephone card.

Plus if you are a collector and would like to contribute content, images or information to this page, please also contact me.

The quoted numbers e.g. BTA045 within the above text relates to the cards unique designated catalogue number, over the years these numbers have become extremely well known by collectors.

The two latest catalogues (UK 1 BT Optical Cards is pictured right) which together feature all of BT Phonecards and catalogue numbers can be viewed and purchased via the online Phonecard collector shop.

Last updated: 8th January 2024