Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!cs.widener.edu!dsinc!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: 0003382352@mcimail.com (A. Alan Toscano) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: 215 Area Code Loses "1" per Newspaper 'Reporter' Message-ID: <15540@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 20 Dec 90 19:43:00 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 40 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 893, Message 5 of 8 In TELECOM Digest Vol 10, Issue 892, bill quotes from a UPI article written by Sue Morgan... >Beginning Jan. 14, customers in the 215 dialing area -- which >includes Philadelphia and its suburbs, Reading, and Allentown -- will >no longer have to dial a "1" before dialing a long-distance number in >that area. Subsequent comments by bill and our Moderator suggest that the article should have said that a '1' would now be REQUIRED instead of being NO LONGER ALLOWED. I disagree. It's my recollection that most, if not all, of Pennsylvania is accustomed to prefixing *ANY* long distance call with a '1' prefix. The article refers to the elimination of a '1' prefix on *INTRA-NPA* calls only. It's confusing because of the vagueness permitted by our English language. "In that area" refers not to the callers location, but to the destination long-distance number. Inter-NPA dialing will not change. A '1' will still be required. Let's recall that in many areas once populated by Step-by-Step switching, a '1' prefix has been used to access equipment able to complete a long distance call. In these areas, the '1' has, over time, taken on the meaning "indicates a Long Distance toll call." Or, to put it another way: "I agree to pay extra money for this call, which I realize is to a location outside of my toll-free calling area." This way of thinking is so deep rooted in my home state of Texas, that, when Southwestern Bell began charging for Directory Assistance, they changed its access number from 411 to 1411. And, subscribers here have complained, after being billed for rather excessive 976 charges, that the Phone Company should require a '1' if it's going to cost extra. The new meaning of '1' as "an area code will follow" will take some getting accustomed to in much of America. A. Alan Toscano Voice: 713 236 6616 MCI Mail: ATOSCANO 0003382352@mcimail.com Telex: 6975956AAT UW CIS: 73300,217