How long is the world‘s longest phone call?
The longest continuous telephone call lasted 46 hours, 12 minutes and 52 seconds, achieved by two Harvard students, Avery Leonard and Eric Roff Brewster, in 2020. This shattered the previous world record of 32 hours that had stood for many years.
Behind the Record-Breaking Phone Call
Avery and Eric were sophomores at Harvard when they set their record. The COVID-19 pandemic had forced classes online and the friends were bored in their dorm rooms, looking for a challenge. They decided to go after the longest phone call world record as a way to test their mental endurance.
The Setup
To set up the call, Avery and Eric established multiple lines of communication:
- Primary phone line on speakerphone to talk
- Secondary phones and laptops in case of technical issues
- Discord chat connection as another backup
- Live Twitch stream to document the entire process
With all these redundant systems in place, there was no doubt the call would be continuous and valid for Guinness World Records.
Physical and Mental Toll
The first 24 hours of the call breezed by as the friends were energized and excited. But as time wore on, fatigue began to set in. Backaches, headaches, and brain fog were common complaints. Both participants said the last 10 hours were excruciatingly difficult.
At hour 45, we were zombies just trying to get to the finish line without falling asleep according to Eric.
But they persevered and crossed the 46 hour milestone, smashing the previous record.
Comparison to Other Endurance Records
| Record | Previous | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Longest phone call | 32 hours | 46 hours, 12 min |
| Longest TV watching | 86 hours | 94 hours |
| Longest gaming marathon | 29 hours | 51 hours |
Many world records related to technology get broken as new generations push the limits further. But what is most impressive about Avery and Eric is they didn‘t do anything but talk for nearly 2 days straight! As a gamer myself who participates in charity gaming marathons, I can confirming staying coherent while fatigue sets in is extremely difficult. Chatting for over double my personal best streaming time is truly mind-boggling!
The Future of Endurance Records
We‘ve seen many longevity records fall that previously seemed impossible:
- 500 hours in a VR headset
- 262 hours continuously live streaming
- 10 days in a giant fidget spinner
And phone call records are likely no exception. In fact, the current record may not even stand long before another set of thrill seekers tries to claim over 50 or even 100 consecutive hours on the phone! Whether the human psyche can withstand such extreme mental challenges remains to be seen.
So while 46 hours and 12 minutes is the longest verified phone call ever, I speculate the next generation will expand that mark substantially as we merge more and more with technology.
