CityWest makes plans for ten digit dialing

A common practice in the Lower Mainland, the prospect of ten digit dialing will soon be coming to the North and CityWest is making plans to help ease the transition for Prince Rupert residents.

The northern portion of the province will soon be gaining access to the 780 area code, as the 250 code is quickly running out of number combinations thanks to our increased mobility and variety of communication devices to grab the numbers.

Starting June 23, callers will hear a recorded announcement reminding them to call ten digits from now when they attempt to make a call. Full ten digit dialing comes into effect in September, and with it will be the need to change many of our pre programmed dialing programs and Internet and modem connections.

The Daily News had details of the changeover in Thursday's paper.

Phone company rings in changes for 10-digit calls
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, April 10, 2008

People will soon be moving their fingers faster and longer when they pick up the phone.
Ten-digit dialing is being expanded from the Lower Mainland across British Columbia in order to accommodate the addition of a new area code - 778.

"The biggest misconception is people believe that the 778 number will replace the 250 number. Some people have actually come in thinking that they have to change their number or their number will be changing. Everyone will keep the same number," said Chad Cunningham, sales and marketing manager at CityWest.

Ten-digit dialing has been in effect in the Lower Mainland since 2001, however the Canadian Radio-television and Tele-communications Commission (CRTC) announced on June 7 that the 778 area code will expand to cover the entire province because of exhaustion of phone numbers in area code 250. The province of Alberta will also be adding a new area code - 587.

These new codes will enable the creation of millions of telephone numbers. The new codes will be assigned to new numbers only; existing numbers will remain unchanged.

"If we keep going the way we are going in three or four years there won't be any phone numbers left. We need the new area code, so the CRTC created a new task force to phase in the new area codes in B.C. and Alberta," said Cunningham.

To help customers prepare, the industry will have a "permissive dialing period" starting on June 23. As of that date, callers who dial seven digits for a local call will hear a network announcement reminding them to use 10-digit dialing the next time they make a local call.

The announcement will no longer come on once full 10-digit dialing comes into effect in September. The change will not impact toll areas for long-distance calling and all three-digit numbers, including 211, 311, 411, 611, 811, 911 and emergency service (where applicable) will remain the same.

However, Cunningham said people will need to make some necessary changes to their telecommunications equipment, especially when it comes to preprogrammed dialing - this includes speed-dial and contact lists; modems and internet connections; telephones, including call options and functions (e.g. call forwarding); computers and fax machines; databases and auto-dial systems.

The impact may begin even with the introduction of the recorded message starting June 23, making it vital that phones and communications equipment are reprogrammed as soon as possible.

In future years, people will also see 10-digit numbers listed in their telephone directories.
"You will see people get the new area code in the north," Cunningham said.
However, CityWest said it will attempt to get '250 numbers' if they are available when adding new phone numbers.