I’d pay good money for a number like that.
When I moved to Somerville MA back in the mid-90s I made the poor service rep setting up my new landline generate about 75 numbers trying to get one in the 666 exchange. Had to settle for 623. I was so sad.
And the Boston area went to 10-digit dialing in 1997 when they overlaid a new area code. It was a shockingly easy transition. Easier than suddenly having to remember that the inter-town calls needed an area code but intra-town did not (previously the eastern half of the state was all one area code). Just dialing10-digits for every call is much easier to transition to, IMO.
Maryland has had 10-digit dialing for at least the last 11 years, which is how long we’ve lived here. And, really, the concept of area code is pretty much meaningless. My daughter took her “Maryland” number with her when she moved back to Florida and it works just fine.
On the other hand, if I don’t see one of the 4 Maryland codes on an incoming call, I pretty much ignore it automatically, so there is some value to area codes.
It’s a given that people are getting more and more phone numbers. It’s now unusual for a family of five to have one land line phone number. They probably have 5+. It looks like Idaho will have to dial ten digits for every call (if they don’t already do that).
Overlays are simpler manage. New customers get the new area code and older customers do not have to change. Aunt Marge gets to keep her area code and number and the grand kids get new numbers with new different area code.
Several other States will also be getting new area codes, so if you have a favorite number, it’s best to contact the Idaho Public Utilities Commission for Delegated Authority to Implement Number Conservation Measures as soon as possible. And maybe check with Neustar to see what’s still available???
*The geographic overlay would superimpose the new area code over the entire state, but assign it only to new numbers. All existing customers would retain their 208 area code with only new numbers assigned the new area code. However, all customers would be required to begin 10-digit dialing for all calls, which would include the area code, prefix and four-digit number.
…Originally, Neustar — the company that administers the nation’s numbering plan — expected Idaho to run out of 208-prefix numbers in fall 2003, and again warned of the change in mid-2010. But the PUC adopted conservation plans that delayed the need for a second prefix.
Only 12 states still have just one area code, according to the PUC, which cited information from the North American Plan Numbering Administrator. Six of those have proposed adding a second area code, also including Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.*
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/08/11/3933800_new-idaho-area-code-proposed.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
I lived in Denver in the 90s when not only did we go to ten-digit dialing, but the ABC, NBC, and CBS affiliations all were swapped to different stations.
Oregon went overlay, and I still mourn the loss of the 541 identity with my home state. My son likes to wear his 541 t-shirt. He still aches to show some Area Code Pride. Seriously, my son has a 541 t-shirt.
As a former Idahoan, I’ll always hold 208 close to my heart. Times change…
The “1” isn’t needed for local dialing any overlay I’ve ever experienced and this seems to be typical for other posters.
If you want to get grumpy about “the good old days”, we had 4 digit dialing when I was a kid. Somehow we survived when we moved and had to go to 7 digit dialing. When we went to 10 digit dialing they did a split instead of an overlap (we got the new area code:mad:). That was a mess for a lot of people, especially businesses. Then for the new area codes it was overlap only. They finally wised up.
An initial split sort of makes sense based on the local calling area of a metro area. But these aren’t always neat and tidy for everyone on the fringe so simplicity about local/long distant dialing is illusory.
But are you ready to switch from IPv4 to IPv6?
There’s a New Idaho?