Will the world ever run out of telephone numbers anytime soon?
According to http://www.naruc.org/Congressional/1999/AreaCodeExhaust.htm we are running out of area codes much faster than phone numbers. We have 6.4 billion potential phone numbers (one for every person in the world with an additional half-billion for offices), however, the way that we divvy up area codes and prefixes causes us to have lots of numbers available in North Dakota (if there was such a place) leaving far fewer for Manhattan.
Quite possibly but then they can just keep on adding numbers in front of the old numbers.
Here in Sydney a couple of years ago they added a 9 in front of every number and now they are starting to hand out numbers starting with 8.
There is an infinite number of numbers so they can’t run out of numbers.
They will eventually have to change the numbering system or the number of digits.
In the US, we use 10 digits, so 9,999,999,999, say 10 billion numbers for 250 million people. Plenty of numbers. Giving everyone a home phone, cell phone, pager, and business phone is only 1 billion numbers.
Keep in mind that different countries use different numbering systems.
If we combine number systems world wide, then you don’t need country codes or long distance codes. But the US ten digit system only gives 10 billion numbers for 6 billion people plus no telling how many business and government numbers. Not nearly enough numbers with that numbering system.
Cecil’s bit on Area Codes
LincMad’s clear and readable explanations of North American area codes, with information on number expansion:
http://www.lincmad.com/
Also, there is Area-Code Info:
http://www.areacode-info.com/
and the World Telephone Numbering Guide:
http://phonebooth.interocitor.net/wtng/
But keep in mind it can’t start with 411, 911, 555, and a number of other combinations. You made your point, though.
I’m more worried about running out of IP addresses. I heard this was a potential danger.