goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com (Fred R. Goldstein) (11/13/90)
In article <14554@accuvax.nwu.edu>, JAJZ801@calstate.bitnet writes: >I think the problem posed by this question goes beyond the issue of >just 800 numbers: > The escalating splitting of municipalities into multiple area codes, >the proliferation of faxs and cellular phones that will exacerbate >this suggest that the once adequate phone numbering system is getting >out of hand and is unequal to the load of modern telecommunications >possibilities. The resulting confusion of phone numbers versus >geographical areas occasioned by the splitting and the uncertainty of >charges is just once manifestation of it. > What are the telephone companies, research institutions, regulatory >agencies, or anyone else doing to address this. To what extent may >ISDN provide some solutions to this (I can think of a few). Jeff points out a potentially serious problem. The North American Numbering Plan is very expandable and flexible, but the expansion is occuring more rapidly than (I suspect) was originally foreseen, and it's generating a higher pain level than the public seems happy with. Right now the plan says that NPAs are split when they get crowded. Thus West LA gets 310, Bronx gets 908, etc. Soon (after 1995) we'll be able to have NPA codes like 260, 420, etc.; these REQUIRE strict 1+ dialing rules to avoid ambiguity. (Some small NPAs have no NN0 codes, which gives them a little slack.) A possible solution, which to the best of my knowledge has not been seriously entertained by Bellcore (yet), is to use "overlay" NPAs. This is hinted at by 908, which gets Bronx plus Manhattan's cellular phones. An overlay NPA is geographically coterminous with another code, but comes from the NNX space (post-1995, of course). Residential and POTS numbers can be allocated from the remaining "traditional" pool; these aren't the ones causing the exhaustion. Business can pay extra for numbers in the traditional NPA, but default DID rates get you overlay numbers, which are also used for cellular, PBX trunks (beyond the listed one?), fax machines, data services, etc. Then we can stop splitting NPAs. Existing numbers remain intact, in general, but growth gets new numbers. The last few NYX codes (i.e., 710, 810, 909, 410) can be reserved for areas that really do need to split, after overlays reduce demand for current-NPA numbers. I wonder if the idea will sell. (The NANP discussion at ANSI T1S1 ended last year, due to lack of consensus, so I can't bring it up there.) Fred R. Goldstein Digital Equipment Corp., Littleton MA goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com voice: +1 508 486 7388 Do you think anyone else on the planet would share my opinions, let alone a multi-billion dollar corporation?
cmoore@brl.mil (VLD/VMB) (11/15/90)
As Doug Reuben pointed out, 908 is in New Jersey (it's being formed by
splitting 201), not New York. In a posting some months(?) ago, I
cited a {N.Y. Times} article saying that the latest proposal for
implementing the 917 area code, given that only one borough line
remains WITHIN 212, was to put Manhattan's cellular and mobile lines
along with all of the Bronx into 917; only the Manhattan land lines
would remain in 212.
Much further back, someone (not me) put down the idea of putting new
telephone listings into new area codes. Area codes are being kept
contiguous (right) to avoid confusion. (The Manhattan overlay -- see
above -- is unprecedented.) The weirdest shape for an area code that
I know of is that of 409 (formed 1983 by splitting 713) in Texas; it's
got the pre-split 713 area except for a hole punched out for Houston
and nearby suburbs. (As for new listings, they are likely to go into
new PREFIXES within a given exchange area; for example, I am on
302-731 and I know of newer arrivals on 302-292 in Newark, Delaware.)
Yes, I am aware of the NN0 area codes, to start coming on line when
the N0X/N1X are used up. But wasn't there a note in the Digest saying
that Mexico will (then or later) become reachable via pseudo area
codes of 52x form (where x won't be zero)?
Afterthought: 917 in Bronx would be right next door to 914 in
Westchester.
[Moderator's Note: Carl, I think you might agree that 312/708 has some
odd boundary lines also, with one small section of 312 completely
surrounded by 708 at Ohare Airport and one section of 708 completely
surrounded by 312 on the northwest side of Chicago in an area not
actually in the city. PAT]