Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: "DOUGLAS SCOTT REUBEN)" Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: My List of North American Area Codes Message-ID: <8463@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 31 May 90 06:12:39 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 61 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 400, Message 4 of 6 Something else I noticed (from another one of Pat's postings, this one dealing with the "new" area codes in a revised area code list...): Perhaps I missed this in the discussion, but I noticed area codes like "411", "211", "611", "811", "511", and "200". Now 411 is used quite universally for Directory Assistance (DA) 611 is used similarly for repair. 811 is used by Pac*Bell for calls to their offices, etc. 211 is used in New York City to call for credit. (The ops. don't handle credit requests there.) 511 is used in Rcohester for ANA. (or whatever you call the automatic number announcement.) 911 is used for emergency services 200 is used for the same purpose in NE Tel territory. (200-222-2222, I think...). While I realize that it is POSSIBLE to use these numbers as area codes by placing a 1+ in front of them to distinguish the "area code" call from the "local service" call, in many areas, these X11 services take a 1+ in front of them. For example, in Connecticut, you must dial 1+411 for DA. (I think this is done so DA access can be restricted ... you don't need to dial 1+611 for repair.) I think this may also be so for Louisiana and some areas of Oregon, but I can't recall specifically ... (anyone in Bend, Oregon know if you need to dial 1+411? Or was it 1+555-1212? I never did it because they charge *50 cents* for a DA call from a payphone!) In some areas in New England, you need to dial 1-200-222-2222 for ANA (this doesn't seem to be universal though). Moreover, 1-611 is permitted (although by no means required) from what appear to be 1/AESS exchanges in the New York City area. So if those numbers are to be used as area codes, how will the present system be changed to accommodate the new are codes? Won't this be VERY confusing, as most customers who know "411" as directory assistance, "611" as repair, and "911" as Emerncy services tend to think of such numbers as "special" and thus reserved for such special uses? I would think that if anything, these numbers will be assigned last, way after 510, 310, etc. are all used up. Additionally, when we go to full 1+ dialing, where (almost) any three digits can be an area code, won't 1+xxx-xxxx dialing have to go away? IE, right now, I dial 1-890-1611 for NY Tel repair (upstate). Won't this be confusing to the switch when they assign area code "890"? IE, the switch will have to "time-out" to see if you mean "area code 890 plus 7 more digits" or "toll call to number 890-xxxx". I'd personally prefer, if it becomes necessary, to get rid of in-area code 1+ dialing over having to wait for a call to timeout ... (Of course this is ALREADY a problem with 0+xxx-xxxx calls, but that can wait till another time! :-) ) Doug dreuben@wesleyan.bitnet/@eagle.wesleyan.edu