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June 16, 2021 9:32 am  #1


Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

This doesn't have much to do with radio, but it is administered by the CRTC and these decisions always fascinate me for some reason. Southern Ontario (they don't specifically specify where) is getting yet another area code for you to remember or program into your phone.

It's 742. 

That joins the existing 416, 905, 289 and 365. (Did anyone know there WAS a 365? Can't say I've ever heard of it.) In any event, the three-digit newcomer won't be in use until they officially run out of numbers on the existing ones - although according to the Commission, it should be authorized for use sooner than that and could be in place as early as December 2022.

"The 289/365/905 relief planning committee recommended that the new relief area code be activated by 16 October 2021, 14 months before the current projected exhaust date in December 2022. That implementation date should provide sufficient lead time for carriers and customers to make the necessary changes to their systems to support the new area code."

I remember a great Seinfeld episode about a new phone being assigned a 718 area code, instead of 212, which was out of room. The plot had it that anyone with the new area code was seen as being somehow out of it and inferior and centered on efforts to secure the better three digits. That was back in the 90s. Who knew cell phones would cause such an explosion of numbers that we're now up to five different sets? And given the growth of smart phones, it may not stop there. 

New area code 742 in southern Ontario 

 

June 16, 2021 10:00 am  #2


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Just a reminder that if a business is 310 plus 4 more numbers you DO NOT need to dial the area code.
310-1010 gets you pizza hut delivery if it is in your area.
(No shilling intended, just merely the first example I could think of.)
It amazes me the number of people who do not realize this.
The only minor upset is that the 310 numbers are not free from a payphone, while the 800 numbers are.
(If you're thinking "who uses a payphone these days" think also what you talk on if the cell battery is dead or something else is wrong with the phone.)

 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

June 16, 2021 10:14 am  #3


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Speaking of cell phones, did you know the first one was actually tested as long as 75 years ago? 

The article below explains the origins of the modern day mobile phone - the first one weighed an astounding 80 pounds - while the 1940s video that follows it is a product of its time - corny and a bit overdramatic, but a great glimpse back to the past. None of them could possibly have conceived of what we have today. 

I remember the car phones that were around in the 70s. You had to dial an operator - who answered "Toronto Mobile" and request a phone number. She would then put you through to the in-car phone, and hang up, after connecting the driver with the caller. 

I used to have a multi-band radio that could pick up the calls, which were not scrambled, and occasionally listen in. Most were simply business calls or quick, "I'm on my way home" dials and didn't last long because they were expensive and generally the purview of wealthy people or businesses. 

But there was one that I still remember to this day. A guy called Toronto Mobile and was put through to his wife at his home number. He told her that he was working late and wouldn't be home for dinner and to go on without him. He then hung up and waited for the operator to disconnect the line. When she came back on to ask the traditional, "Mobile, are you through?" he was still there.

"No," he said and requested to be connected to another number. She put him through and a woman answered. It was his mistress and he told her he was coming over to see her and to wear something sexy. And then he hung up. 

But that wasn't the end of it. When the operator came back on to disconnect, I heard her talking to a colleague over the air. 

"What a weasel!" she emoted into the headset. 

"Rotten to the core," replied her operator colleague. "That poor wife!"

And then the line went dead and static followed as they signed off the airwaves. 

They'd both been listening in the whole time! 

Good thing we don't have that issue to worry about any more. 

 The first mobile phone call was 75 years ago – what it takes for technologies to go from breakthrough to big time


     Thread Starter
 

June 16, 2021 10:18 am  #4


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Radiowiz wrote:

Just a reminder that if a business is 310 plus 4 more numbers you DO NOT need to dial the area code.
310-1010 gets you pizza hut delivery if it is in your area.
(No shilling intended, just merely the first example I could think of.)
It amazes me the number of people who do not realize this.
The only minor upset is that the 310 numbers are not free from a payphone, while the 800 numbers are.
(If you're thinking "who uses a payphone these days" think also what you talk on if the cell battery is dead or something else is wrong with the phone.)

The biggest phone company also uses the 310 exchange - 310-BELL. No area code required and you can call it from just about anywhere. 
 

     Thread Starter
 

June 16, 2021 11:20 am  #5


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

The area code 647 has also been around for some time in Toronto. And other areas in the GTA I believe. But I may be wrong about it being  regional.

 

June 16, 2021 11:44 am  #6


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

RadioActive wrote:

This doesn't have much to do with radio, but it is administered by the CRTC and these decisions always fascinate me for some reason. Southern Ontario (they don't specifically specify where) is getting yet another area code for you to remember or program into your phone. 

The article mentions "an additional area code will be introduced in the region currently served by area codes 289, 365 and 905", most likely it will be an overlay of the whole 905 region.

Oddly enough new area codes introduced in Western Canada in recent years have been used to overlay multiple area code areas. In Alberta, 587 was overlaid in both the 403 and 780 area codes, with 825 and 368 later added to the whole province. So if you're in Calgary you can get 403, 587, 825, or 368, and in Edmonton you can get 780, 587, 825, or 368. BC has a similar situation with 778 being added to cover the whole province, despite the Lower Mainland using 604 and the rest of the province using 250.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (June 16, 2021 11:45 am)

 

June 16, 2021 12:02 pm  #7


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Norman peters wrote:

The area code 647 has also been around for some time in Toronto. And other areas in the GTA I believe. But I may be wrong about it being  regional.

You are correct, sir! I had totally blanked on 647. That will make six different area codes in a similar region. Thank God for speed dial or we'd be spending all our time dialing digits. 

     Thread Starter
 

June 16, 2021 12:15 pm  #8


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

RadioActive wrote:

The biggest phone company also uses the 310 exchange - 310-BELL. No area code required and you can call it from just about anywhere. 
 

Also
"Bell" and "Dell" sound similar, but not the same company...
310-Dell if you have questions about a Dell computer.  (again, no area code required)
 

Last edited by Radiowiz (June 16, 2021 12:15 pm)


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

June 16, 2021 1:08 pm  #9


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

It's not the "three extra digits," as you so trollfully put it. It's remembering who's 416, 905, 647, 289, 365, 742, LSMFT...For example my veterinarian is in North York. But his clinic's phone number starts with 647 not 416. With so many phone numbers in my already addled brain, I sometimes have trouble remembering which goes with which. 

     Thread Starter
 

June 16, 2021 2:57 pm  #10


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

You can always move to Northern Ontario (west of the Soo), where area code 807 isn't even close to being oversubscribed and local calls are still only 7 digits!

 

June 16, 2021 3:29 pm  #11


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

385 has been reserved for Toronto when 416/647/437 run out of phone numbers around 2025. And to think back in 1947, when area codes were first introduced in North America, 416 and 613 were the only ones assigned to Ontario. The 519 was introduced in 1953, 705 in 1957 and 807 in 1962.

 

June 16, 2021 3:36 pm  #12


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Not that long ago when I used Ooma as a "land line" for my biz, I checked on day to see available numbers... there was a 416!  Gold I tell ya.  

 

June 16, 2021 3:37 pm  #13


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

I've had 647 for years.

The 742 gives us more combos to try to remember. Unless you're one of the wise people who doesn't answer unless you recognize the person calling. I knew things were starting to return to normal when I answered the phone without thinking last month and it was a duct cleaning service.

and as a related sidebar Freedom mobile should try to snap this tune up.

https://youtu.be/3YHVC1DcHmo

Last edited by betaylored (June 16, 2021 4:00 pm)

 

June 16, 2021 5:31 pm  #14


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

I remember when they were in talks for the 647 area code, it was supposed to be for North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough and East York.  Mel Lastman freaked out that his precious North York would not keep the coveted 416 code and raised heck so that 647 would just be an alternate to 416.

 

June 16, 2021 8:02 pm  #15


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

undeuxpaw wrote:

I remember when they were in talks for the 647 area code, it was supposed to be for North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough and East York.  Mel Lastman freaked out that his precious North York would not keep the coveted 416 code and raised heck so that 647 would just be an alternate to 416.

undeuxpaw is a most excellent handle

 

June 17, 2021 10:21 am  #16


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

If Roger Ashby ever plays the Four Tops' Just Seven Numbers, he may feel the need to provide an explanation for his younger listeners. 

 

June 17, 2021 10:32 am  #17


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

RadioActive wrote:

It's not the "three extra digits," as you so trollfully put it. It's remembering who's 416, 905, 647, 289, 365, 742, LSMFT...For example my veterinarian is in North York. But his clinic's phone number starts with 647 not 416. With so many phone numbers in my already addled brain, I sometimes have trouble remembering which goes with which. 

Many years ago I read something about the average person being able to remember seven digits well enough, but that it became harder after that. And I have found that when I am calling an unfamiliar phone number, I generally need to look at it twice now as I enter it, whereas I was able to just look at numbers once back when the area code wasn't required. 
 

 

June 17, 2021 10:55 am  #18


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

mace wrote:

385 has been reserved for Toronto when 416/647/437 run out of phone numbers around 2025. And to think back in 1947, when area codes were first introduced in North America, 416 and 613 were the only ones assigned to Ontario. The 519 was introduced in 1953, 705 in 1957 and 807 in 1962.

Back in those days I don’t think you or I would have needed to use area codes, as direct-dial long distance didn’t exist yet. I believe you needed to call the operator to conduct a non-local call. Area codes were more of an internal routing tool back then, at least until direct-dial long distance was introduced.

 

June 17, 2021 9:58 pm  #19


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

South - west Ontario from Guelph to Windsor and north to Tobermory is 519.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

June 18, 2021 8:34 am  #20


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

And to think part of the number explosion was due in part to the Fax machine. 
Does anyone still fax?

 

June 18, 2021 8:35 am  #21


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

I'm not sure how ready I am for this - it's a tough call
(thank you, thank you - I'm here all week)
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

June 18, 2021 8:43 am  #22


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Centerline wrote:

And to think part of the number explosion was due in part to the Fax machine. 
Does anyone still fax?

Actually and incredibly, doctors' offices still use them for all kinds of things - test results, prescriptions, medical records, etc. So do the courts. I think it has something to do with better security, but it certainly makes it interesting when they ask you to submit a document by fax. 

(As a sidenote, I have to admit I'm a bit surprised by the response to this thread. I thought I was the only one who was interested in this arcane stuff. Glad to see I'm not!)

     Thread Starter
 

June 18, 2021 9:07 am  #23


Re: Are You Ready For Yet Another Area Code In S. Ont? This Time, It's 742

Yes, I've been an occasional participant in panels that a friend has organized with her students on virtual care, and the fact that doctor's offices (including mine) still require the use of faxes for things like prescriptions is something that's been discussed ... and I think it's for the kind of reason you mentioned. My guess is that this will eventually change, but not until such places, institutions, etc. can be satisfied that it's possible to do so without compromising security.