The problem of area codes

[geek11111]

Multi area code for one single city is pretty uncommon outside NANP. Outside NANP, telephone numbers will be adding one digit, instead of crazily introducing new area codes.
Multi area code makes people need to dial and say three more digits EVERY TIME you need to dial or say a number.

[jeffandnicole]

So it's 2 more digits: 10 instead of 8.  Takes 0.3 seconds. 

And that's if you're typing a number in, rather than clicking on the person's name on a phone.

[geek11111]

The best chance for NANP to upgrade to 8-digit (for populous areas) is 1990s
This is the time all the needed splits had been done, making every area code reasonably sized.

For example, when 917 was being introduced to the big NYC area (both 212 and 718), it’s a better idea to upgrade 212 and 718 into 8 digits, so that no any changes will be needed until the foreseeable future.


Arizona’s best chance to upgrade to 8 digit is when 480 being introduced to further split 602 (after the 520 split), so the AZ will have only two area codes until today (and maybe forever).


About the “random” way to assign new area codes after 1995, when the ones with 0/1 in the middle exhausted:
It’s better to assign new area codes based on geographic. For example, 220-289 for New England, 820-879 for the Pacific, 950 to 989 for islands


The long distance prefix should also be changed to 0 and 00, from 1 and 011. This makes 1XX area codes and local phone numbers starting with 1 possible. Area codes ending in repeating digits can be migrated to 1XX then. The number for operator long distance call 0 could be 100 then.

[geek11111]

So it's 2 more digits: 10 instead of 8.  Takes 0.3 seconds. 

And that's if you're typing a number in, rather than clicking on the person's name on a phone.

That's way more than 0.3s.
There's usually a full stop between every three digits.
In eight digits, there would be one fewer stop (1s) than ten digits, you can group it into two 4 digits. one additional digits costs you 0.3s. This turns out to be a net save of 0.7s.

[Max Rockatansky]

So basically a nominal non-problem for almost everyone outside this forum?

[GaryV]

So basically a nominal non-problem for almost everyone outside this forum?

And the majority, except 1, inside this forum as well.

The only reason I know my wife's phone number is that I have to keep typing it in at Meijer's to get the perks. If I ever have to call her, it's by her name from my contacts. I haven't typed in a phone number for anyone I know in years.

[MikeTheActuary]

About the "random"  way to assign new area codes after 1995, when the ones with 0/1 in the middle exhausted:
It's better to assign new area codes based on geographic. For example, 220-289 for New England, 820-879 for the Pacific, 950 to 989 for islands

The problem with a geographic scheme for area codes is: what happens when population/number utilization projections over the long term differ from expectations, or when growth defies a clean numbering pattern?  Amateur radio licensing has that issue right now; the number in system-generated ham callsigns is driven by geography based on poulation at the end of WW2.  Today, however, there are as many hams in region 4 (the southeastern US) as in regions 1-3 (the northeast) combined....and region 4 has run out of certain classes of amateur callsigns.

There is method to the madness when it comes to the NANP area code assignments:  originally, area codes were assigned so that most-called areas had shorter area codes with the pulse dialing system that preceded touch-tones.  Before the mid-90's, new area codes were drawn from the few numbers left over (or that became available when the system was adjusted to allow 0 in the final position).  After the mid-90's, when the second digit of area codes were allowed to be 2-8 (and, as someone who at that time lived in one of the first of those new area codes (334)...that was a painful transition), area codes are assigned so as to be distinct from nearby area codes, or the area codes they overlap.

And of course, with the rise of cell phones sold by nationwide carriers and number portability, the decline of landline phones, and the mobility of the public....it's past time to think about area codes being "area codes".

These days, I'm mostly physically in area code +1 860/959.   The 4 numbers I give out (long story) begin +1 678, +1 781, +1 438, and +44 28.   I am sometimes obliged to share my cell number, which is a +1 860 number, when a company doesn't believe that the +1 678 number is valid for text messages...but I'm almost certainly going to keep that cell number if/when I move.

Also to illustrate the point:  https://xkcd.com/1129/

[hotdogPi]

There are still a lot of available but unused 3-digit numbers for area codes. I don't see them running out any time soon, especially with the decrease in population growth.

[MikeTheActuary]

There are still a lot of available but unused 3-digit numbers for area codes. I don't see them running out any time soon, especially with the decrease in population growth.

The last projection I saw was that we won't run out of the 674 available area codes until after 2050.  I don't know whether that considers possible expansion of the numbers reserved for toll-free or "non-geographic" uses.

Of course, we presumably could extend it further if we quit tying area codes to geography....

[jeffandnicole]

There are still a lot of available but unused 3-digit numbers for area codes. I don't see them running out any time soon, especially with the decrease in population growth.

The last projection I saw was that we won't run out of the 674 available area codes until after 2050.  I don't know whether that considers possible expansion of the numbers reserved for toll-free or "non-geographic" uses.

Of course, we presumably could extend it further if we quit tying area codes to geography....

The bigger issue is the 3 digit exchanges in 123-xxx-7890, which are doled out in blocks.  Originally, they were often assigned to specific areas and specific carriers.  If 456 went to ABC Cell and they only have 4 phones in their geographic region, the remaining 9996 numbers can't be used. 

I know this changed a number of years ago, and I believe the block became 4 digit blocks (ie: 123-456-7xxx) giving carriers only 1,000 numbers to use.  This may have changed some more, but chances are there's a whole lot of phone numbers available out there, but past practices limit how those numbers are provided, causing them to remain unused.

For those around before the cell phone era, they probably remember their town had specific exchanges that everyone had. In my town, it was always 609-468-xxxx, which was enough to satisfy 10,000 residents and businesses and were reused after someone moved away or otherwise didn't need that number.  After the area grew, people started getting second lines for their teens, etc, they also incorporated 609-464-xxxx.  Then fax machines became a thing, eating up more numbers.  Today, I imagine many of those numbers go unused because they're specific to Verizon's Landline Blocks, and fewer and fewer people have landlines.

[geek11111]

There are still a lot of available but unused 3-digit numbers for area codes. I don't see them running out any time soon, especially with the decrease in population growth.

The last projection I saw was that we won't run out of the 674 available area codes until after 2050.  I don't know whether that considers possible expansion of the numbers reserved for toll-free or "non-geographic" uses.

Of course, we presumably could extend it further if we quit tying area codes to geography....

The bigger issue is the 3 digit exchanges in 123-xxx-7890, which are doled out in blocks.  Originally, they were often assigned to specific areas and specific carriers.  If 456 went to ABC Cell and they only have 4 phones in their geographic region, the remaining 9996 numbers can't be used. 

I know this changed a number of years ago, and I believe the block became 4 digit blocks (ie: 123-456-7xxx) giving carriers only 1,000 numbers to use.  This may have changed some more, but chances are there's a whole lot of phone numbers available out there, but past practices limit how those numbers are provided, causing them to remain unused.

For those around before the cell phone era, they probably remember their town had specific exchanges that everyone had. In my town, it was always 609-468-xxxx, which was enough to satisfy 10,000 residents and businesses and were reused after someone moved away or otherwise didn't need that number.  After the area grew, people started getting second lines for their teens, etc, they also incorporated 609-464-xxxx.  Then fax machines became a thing, eating up more numbers.  Today, I imagine many of those numbers go unused because they're specific to Verizon's Landline Blocks, and fewer and fewer people have landlines.

Upgrading to 8 digits also solves this problem, this provides 10x central offices, and make area codes 10x slower to be consumed.

[Jim]

Upgrading to 8 digits also solves this problem, this provides 10x central offices

What are the "central offices"?

[kkt]

Area codes having a geographic meaning was pretty much doomed when we started letting people keep their phone number when they move.

[geek11111]

Upgrading to 8 digits also solves this problem, this provides 10x central offices

What are the "central offices"?

The middle group of digits

[Rothman]

Area codes having a geographic meaning was pretty much doomed when we started letting people keep their phone number when they move.

Nah.  They still indicate where someone lived when they got their phone.

[geek11111]

Or, where have he been stayed for a while in this life

[kalvado]

Upgrading to 8 digits also solves this problem, this provides 10x central offices

What are the "central offices"?

but 10x fewer area codes, if you want to keep 10-digit system.

[jeffandnicole]

Others may disagree with this, but my feeling about area codes is this... if you're someone who works in a job supervised by others and just needs it as a way to communicate, keep your number regardless of where you live. But if you're a contractor or for-hire business person, it may be wise to get a new phone number with an area code of the local area. If I'm looking for potential contractors and they have an area code from several states away, I don't know if he lives several states away, or maybe a fly-by-night person that won't be around to finiah the job. I prefer to deal with someone who has a phone number more locally.

[geek11111]

Upgrading to 8 digits also solves this problem, this provides 10x central offices

What are the "central offices"?

but 10x fewer area codes, if you want to keep 10-digit system.

11 digits for area codes upgraded to 8 digits, 10 digits otherwise.

[kalvado]

Others may disagree with this, but my feeling about area codes is this... if you're someone who works in a job supervised by others and just needs it as a way to communicate, keep your number regardless of where you live. But if you're a contractor or for-hire business person, it may be wise to get a new phone number with an area code of the local area. If I'm looking for potential contractors and they have an area code from several states away, I don't know if he lives several states away, or maybe a fly-by-night person that won't be around to finiah the job. I prefer to deal with someone who has a phone number more locally.

That's why there are phones with 2 sim cards

[MikeTheActuary]

Area codes having a geographic meaning was pretty much doomed when we started letting people keep their phone number when they move.

...and when businesses (and a few oddball individuals like me) started using VOIP.

[chrisdiaz]

Others may disagree with this, but my feeling about area codes is this... if you're someone who works in a job supervised by others and just needs it as a way to communicate, keep your number regardless of where you live. But if you're a contractor or for-hire business person, it may be wise to get a new phone number with an area code of the local area. If I'm looking for potential contractors and they have an area code from several states away, I don't know if he lives several states away, or maybe a fly-by-night person that won't be around to finiah the job. I prefer to deal with someone who has a phone number more locally.

Agreed. Here in the Myrtle Beach area nearly everyone is a transplant, so it's hard to tell. When I started applying to internships, I used the second sim on my phone to get an 843 number to seem more "local"

[kphoger]

For those around before the cell phone era, they probably remember their town had specific exchanges that everyone had. In my town, it was always 609-468-xxxx, which was enough to satisfy 10,000 residents and businesses and were reused after someone moved away or otherwise didn't need that number.  After the area grew, people started getting second lines for their teens, etc, they also incorporated 609-464-xxxx.  Then fax machines became a thing, eating up more numbers.  Today, I imagine many of those numbers go unused because they're specific to Verizon's Landline Blocks, and fewer and fewer people have landlines.

It was less than ten years between (1) my hometown having four-digit dialing and (2) our family having a cell phone.

I was born in 1981;  in the fifth grade, if I needed to call my mom at work, I simply had to dial 3211.  Moreover, every phone number in town began with (913) 626-3xxx or (913) 626-9xxx–so every number we ever actually had to dial was 3xxx or 9xxx.  It switched to seven-digit dialing in the early 1990s.

[JayhawkCO]

For those around before the cell phone era, they probably remember their town had specific exchanges that everyone had. In my town, it was always 609-468-xxxx, which was enough to satisfy 10,000 residents and businesses and were reused after someone moved away or otherwise didn't need that number.  After the area grew, people started getting second lines for their teens, etc, they also incorporated 609-464-xxxx.  Then fax machines became a thing, eating up more numbers.  Today, I imagine many of those numbers go unused because they're specific to Verizon's Landline Blocks, and fewer and fewer people have landlines.

It was less than ten years between (1) my hometown having four-digit dialing and (2) our family having a cell phone.

I was born in 1981;  in the fifth grade, if I needed to call my mom at work, I simply had to dial 3211.  Moreover, every phone number in town began with (913) 626-3xxx or (913) 626-9xxx–so every number we ever actually had to dial was 3xxx or 9xxx.  It switched to seven-digit dialing in the early 1990s.

My grandparents lived in Lake City, MN. The everything was either 612-343-xxxx or 612-345-xxxx. So, in town, you only had to dial the last five digits. I think it was a similar time frame when it went away, circa 1994.

[cwf1701]

I remember in my hometown, our phones always began with (313) 77x-xxxx. by the mid 80s, our area ran out of the 77x numbers and started to assign the 445-xxxx numbers in our town. in 10 years we went without moving from the 313 area code to the 810 area code to the 586 area code.