Phone in's.

The TV progs, competitions etc that invite you to phone in with a vote or an answer and they say lines close at such and such a time, if you phone after this time your votes will not count but you may still be charged.
Why? Is this another way to make money, from numpties who don't listen. Or is there a valid reason for this?? Why can't the phone lines just close down at that the given time?

they've only started to say the, "if you 'phone after a certain time, your call will not count but may still be charged" thing since the itv/bbc phone in "scandal". maybe it takes a while for a phoneline to be disabled or something? or maybe it is just a money thing... i wouldn't put it past them!

Nor me
I have asked cos it really winds my hubby up and I wanted to give him a clever answer