Telephone numbers

[bandit957]

Here's something that is sure to bring back foul memories:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Bell_System_hires_1969_logo_blue.svg/1024px-Bell_System_hires_1969_logo_blue.svg.png

Why foul?  I liked the blue Bell logo a lot better than the Deathstar.

The phone company is always scary.

[Big John]

^^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffxVap-1L1Y

[MikeTheActuary]

Given number portability, VOIPs, and the gradual end of 7-digit dialing, some thought really should be given to ending attempts to link specific phone numbers to geography.

Trivia: apparently Norway abolished their area codes three years ago.

I also see reports online that Norway is in the process of ending landline service in general, although it's not clear to me whether they're just referring to landline-in-general, or if they're abolishing "copper twisted-pair POTS" while providing "VOIP that looks like POTS" to people still seeking to use conventional phones at home as is being done in the US.

[Scott5114]

Given number portability, VOIPs, and the gradual end of 7-digit dialing, some thought really should be given to ending attempts to link specific phone numbers to geography.

Trivia: apparently Norway abolished their area codes three years ago.

Norway seems like they're quite a bit more willing to overhaul geographical divisions like that than most places are. They also abolished about half of their counties in 2020. Some of the new, larger counties hated this change enough that they elected governments with the sole platform of dissolving the counties they were elected to lead. As a result, in 2024 three of the counties will revert to roughly the old borders. ("Troms og Finnmark" will revert to "Troms" and "Finnmark", "Vestfold og Telemark" will revert to "Vestfold" and "Telemark", and "Viken" will revert to  "Akershus", "Buskerud", and "Østfold".)

[kalvado]

Given number portability, VOIPs, and the gradual end of 7-digit dialing, some thought really should be given to ending attempts to link specific phone numbers to geography.

Trivia: apparently Norway abolished their area codes three years ago.

I also see reports online that Norway is in the process of ending landline service in general, although it's not clear to me whether they're just referring to landline-in-general, or if they're abolishing "copper twisted-pair POTS" while providing "VOIP that looks like POTS" to people still seeking to use conventional phones at home as is being done in the US.

I heard France was planning on pulling out the network of copper wiring used for phone signal. Looks like same thing in Norway.
"In connection with the remediation of the copper network, we have been clear that no one should lose their phone. Either we move them to fiber or mobile. For some very few people, we have been forced to find special solutions."

[kkt]

I suppose it lets the phone company profit from selling the copper wire...

[kalvado]

I suppose it lets the phone company profit from selling the copper wire...

Few pieces of trivia I heard at different points:
British telecom owns copper network, where total cost of copper exceed stock value of the company.
French total removal of copper would exceed cost of copper recovered, and is done for housekeeping and environmental reasons

[Road Hog]

Largest cities in US should also have 2-digit are codes and 4-digit central office codes.

Given number portability, VOIPs, and the gradual end of 7-digit dialing, some thought really should be given to ending attempts to link specific phone numbers to geography.

The VOIP phone sitting next to me has 4 phone lines.   The phone numbers on those lines are:
+1 678 aaa-bbbb
+1 901 ccc-dddd
+1 438 eee-ffff
+44 028 gggg hhhh

....and I'm sitting in Connecticut (area codes 860/975).

That kind of happens now. The national cellular provider will give you the area code you prefer for whatever reason. In my day it was ease of calling for relatives. But nowadays it doesn't matter nearly as much.