dhirsch@BBNCC2.ARPA (Doug Hirsch) (10/02/85)
> From: ima!johnl@bbncca > Date: Thu Sep 26 22:32:00 1985 > Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V5 #40 (why you have to dial 10xxx + 1 + ) > > You might ask "why not assume a 1+ after the 10xxx if the > next digit is not a 1 or 0?" It appears that's because > they're planning ahead for once. I gather that the plan is > that eventually you'll dial 1 first iff you are dialing > outside your area code, as is currently the case in New York > and Los Angeles. Since there are some area codes that span > more than one LATA, such as 609 in southern New Jersey, you > will eventually need the 1+ after the 10xxx to make it clear > whether you're dialing an inter-LATA call in your own area > code or outside it. John, Along the lines of New York and Los Angeles usage, the use of 1 as a switch flagging the following three digits as area code provides a couple of handy by-products, which I think you imply in your next paragraph: area codes can then be almost any three digits, since they would always be flagged with the 1. Exchanges can include numbers now reserved for use as area codes. For example, in dialing from 212, one would use 1+ to differentiate between 617/617-nnnn and 212/617-617n. I'm afraid I don't understand your comment on inter-LATA calls within an area code. Within 609, what's the difference between 1+nnn-nnnn and nnn-nnnn? Why should I ever have to dial 1+ within my own area code? Aren't LATAs just an artifact of tariff and jurisdiction? If the number I'm trying to reach is unambiguous, then why should I worry whether I am crossing a LATA boundary or not? Is there some technical need for me to point out to a machine (that knows LATA boundaries better than I do) when I think I'm crossing a LATA boundary? Similarly, why is it that New England Telephone can now parse my dialing sufficiently to play me a tape when I need to dial a 1, but not infer into my dialing the 1 they insist I need? Doug Hirsch <dhirsch@bbn-unix> or <decvax!bbncca!dhirsch>, 1617/497-2608 or 617/497-2608 or 1497-2608 or 497-2608, asking the question, "Who's in charge, man or machine?"