I have a GETS account that uses this area code. You are given a credit card sized reference card with your PIN number to activate it.
There is also another service called WPS for cell phones where you get priority just by prefixing your number with *272, the only catch there is your specific phone needs to be enrolled.
In a nice bit of timing, HN Replies (my HN notifier) grabbed the comment before it was deleted! It was interesting, so I'm anonymously adding it below:
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> I have seen first hand a large VoIP carrier reach out to an ITSP because one of their end subscribers was scanning the 710 number space either manually or not. And it was within a few minutes after the scan started. This type of activity (and others too) will set off all kinds of alarms at phone providers.
I assume the poster is intentionally not revealing their role. While I am also curious, having known people working in the defense industry, it's considered polite to not ask questions to things they aren't offering information about.
Well this is the internet, where we all have no way of sussing out subtle cultural differences between ourselves off a username. I say let the questions be asked, it causes no harm here.
You can get these for all sorts of stuff. Not just secret squirrel things.
Running a critical network, supporting critical application, leadership of organizations that impact health and safety, key personnel at hospitals, etc.
There is also another service called WPS for cell phones where you get priority just by prefixing your number with *272, the only catch there is your specific phone needs to be enrolled.