714/657 Area Codes

[Alex]

I wonder if Kodiak, Alaksa, phones still work dialing just the last five digits of a phone number (the first two digits were the same for everybody on the island when I worked up there).

[€uroMeinke]

I find it hard to believe that anyone knows enough people in their own area code to only have to dial the seven numbers. As it is for our household we're down from 4 to 3 different area codes to cover our work, home, and cell area codes.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

First thing in the morning, I screwed up and didn't dial the area code. After all that practice! *smacks forehead*

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

First thing in the morning, I screwed up and didn't dial the area code. After all that practice! *smacks forehead*

Sheesh, if that was the only dumb thing I did first thing in the morning, I'd be having a great day!

I'm not a morning person.

Plus it takes me like all of January to remember it's a new year.

As mentioned before, I use speed dial so this hardly changes a thing. And I still don't have anyone's phone number memorized.

[Moonliner]

Baah! I say we scrap the antiquated number system altogether and just give eveyone an IPv6 address. I call 2008:db8::1428:ac1d

[Bootstrap Bill]

We should scrap the whole phone system and start from scratch.

Most people have free domestic long distance. Why do we need localized area codes?

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Bootstrap Bill

We should scrap the whole phone system and start from scratch.

Most people have free domestic long distance. Why do we need localized area codes?

Because we need more than 8 million phone numbers. As mentioned earlier, seven digit phone numbers only allow for a little less than 8 million individual numbers (eliminating all numbers starting with a 0 or a 1 as well as certain prefixes such as 911). The area codes increases the possible numbers to just under 800 million. To throw out the existing system at this point would be costly, unwieldy, and unnecessary. By integrating area codes as part of everyone's normal phone number, the system is just evolving to accommodate capacity needs.

The first three digits of a 7-digit phone number were, and for the most part still are, geographic in nature: adding an area code is just an extension of the same process.

I've had to delete the rest of my post to instead point you to this site on the history of phone numbers.

[Kevy Baby]

And on a completely separate note, we had a problem with the area code switch yesterday. When we moved in the location where we are now, it was supposed to be temporary. That was 17 months ago. To make it easier on our clients, we kept the same numbers, just having them forwarded to our new location. We used Cox for the service on our fax line. When they set up the forward to the new number, they just used the seven digits. Yesterday, when people tried to fax us (from either the 714 area code or if faxing from out of state), they got the recorded message of needing to dial the area code. I had to spend several minutes on the phone with the Cox representative to get him to understand the problem: he was unaware that you had to dial the area code even though the call was being forwarded within the same area code.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

The area codes increases the possible numbers to just under 800 million.

That's a little under 8 billion, actually. If each area code has just under 8 million, and there are ~1000 possible area codes (000-999, give or take due to reserved digits), then ~8 million * ~1000 = ~8 billion.

Now, theoretically we could dispense with the entire concept of the area code being a separate part of the number assigned geographically and just view it as a 10 digit phone number, but there are a host of reasons why it makes sense to continue the practice.

First and foremost is technical efficiency. The area code allows the telephone switching system to very quickly and efficiently route phone calls where they need to go. While today's digital infrastructure would make it possible to de-localize the numbers, it just makes sense to take advantage of the efficiency that localizing them offers. Similarly, the task of managing and assigning numbers is greatly eased by grouping them geographically. It's also a nice advantage to be able to glance at a phone number and get at least a general idea of where the owner of that number might be located. If not for long distance charge reasosn, simply because you want to know if, say, the business you're calling is nearby or in the next town over, or across the country.

Basically, there are several efficiencies gaiend by keeping phone numbers grouped geographically by an area code, and no real advantage to ending that practice.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

That's a little under 8 billion, actually. If each area code has just under 8 million, and there are ~1000 possible area codes (000-999, give or take due to reserved digits), then ~8 million * ~1000 = ~8 billion.

Man, I am just sucking out loud at math lately.

Oy

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Basically, there are several efficiencies gained by keeping phone numbers grouped geographically by an area code, and no real advantage to ending that practice.

Kinda what I was trying to get at, but you 'splained it better.