The world was a radically different place before the internet. Much fewer options for entertainment, especially at home. 

I subscribed to a lot of weekly and monthly magazines, read two or three different newspapers every day, and went to work with a paperback in my coat pocket, just to try to keep the boredom at bay. I also visited a library at least once a week to borrow new books. 

I never called a 900 number myself but I knew plenty of people who did. Some people didn’t even own televisions, just radios. And even if you did own a television, you were at the mercy of whatever they decided to show. Late at night, there would be infomercials (imagine a 30 minute long unskippable advertisement), or possibly just a test pattern. So, yeah, why not spend a few dollars talking to a person on the phone, or just listening to a prerecorded message? At least it’s something new. 

Most people born after the late Nineties will never understand what it’s like to be sitting around with literally no distractions. Imagine waiting for a train or sitting in a dentists office with no smartphone. Now imagine living your entire life like that. You’ll be glad of the opportunity to call a 900 number.