djcl@uunet.uu.net> (08/10/90)
Looks like BC Tel has interchangeable prefixes, at least unofficially
... this was part of a message from Dan Fandrich recently...
Date: Thu, 2 Aug 90 23:25:00 EDT
To: woody <djcl@contact.uucp>
Message-ID: <1552*shad04@ccu.umanitoba.ca>
Subject: Re: Area Code 604 chart - please update archives version
I was curious about your mention of the 200 and 201 exchanges, so I tried
them out. Although my email address is in Manitoba, I live in B.C.
(604-850 to be more precise, served by a GTD-5). Dialing 1-604-200/1-xxxx
gives me a "Your call cannot be completed as dialed" message, which happens
with every other number I try dialing with 1-604-nnx-xxxx. 1-200-0000
gives me "The number you have reached is not in service. This is a
recording from the 2 2 exchange." 1-201-0000 gives me "The number you
have reached is not in service. This is a recording from Mutual DS-4."
However, 1-201-9999 rings and rings and rings with no intercept. Also,
suffixing a # after these numbers only results in quicker ringing or
intercept on the 201 numbers -- the 200 numbers are short to begin with.
(end of message)
------------------
I also checked this out a bit (without actually connecting to anything
other than the mentioned not-in-service recordings) and it seems that
604-200 is based in what has been referred to as the CAstle exchange
(for "22"). That is the one that serves the University of British
Columbia part of Vancouver. Meanwhile, 604-201 is in the big downtown
exchange, the MUtual DS-4 where the 68x exchanges (among others) are
found.
Still, it is a bit uncertain as to what BC Tel might be up to with all
this.