Area Code for Newfoundland and Labrador in 1947

[Markxxx]

Does anyone know if Newfoundland and Labrador was part of the Original North American Numbering Plan for Area Codes. This was adopted in 1947, so Newfoundland and Labrador was not yet part of Canada. Were they part of AC 902 the Nova Scotia?

Any info is appreciated.

[tomndebb]

Falling in the category of “any information,” it would appear that they did not need (could not use) an area code in 1947: From the Telegraph and Telephone Companies section of the Clarenville History site:

On January 10, 1939 long distance calling between Newfoundland and Canada was inaugurated with a call between Sir Humphrey Walwyn, the Governor of Newfoundland, and Lord Tweedsmuir, the Governor General of Canada in Ottawa. Following the inaugural ceremony, the new HF system was used to place the first overseas telephone call between St. John’s and London. The circuit to Canada was over an HF radio system owned by Canadian Marconi and was the only telephone link between Newfoundland and Canada until after Confederation. At the time, the rate for a three minute call from St. John’s to Montreal was $7.50 and to London $22.20.

In 1948 Avalon Telephone took over and replaced the 25-year-old telephone system that had been operated in Corner Brook by Bowater’s. It opened a new five-storey administration centre at 343 Duckworth Street in St. John’s in 1948, and introduced Newfoundland’s first dial service in St. John’s. Telephone service between St. John’s and Port aux Basques was established in 1949, allowing communities along the line to telephone from one end of Newfoundland to the other for the first time.

[Specualtive inference]If there was no dial service within the province until 1948 and if that dial service did not reach the western terminus of the island’s communication system until 1949, there would have been no reason to assign an area code in 1947.[/S i]