| Most people do not realize this, but area codes are | | | | itself was actually '88 5565'. So using "words" did not |
| actually a fairly recent development. It used to be | | | | change the fact that what people were really dialing |
| that, when you wanted to call someone else on their | | | | was a number...and numbers were running out. |
| phone...assuming they even had a phone...you would | | | | Area codes were developed to deal with just that |
| call the local operator and she would connect you. | | | | problem. If you divide your country into areas, each |
| You would say "Hi, Belle. It's Deb. Could you please | | | | with its own separate code, then you can actually |
| connect me to Trudi"...and Belle would say "Sure, Deb. | | | | repeat telephone numbers over and over and over |
| How are the kids doing?" Even though Trudi's number | | | | again. As a result, the North American Numbering |
| was 17, you did not need to tell your local | | | | System (NANS) was developed by the United States |
| operator...she always knew. (And, yes, they were | | | | and US territories, Canada, Bermuda and 16 Caribbean |
| always women.) | | | | countries, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados, |
| Even cities - at least for a brief period of time - had | | | | Trinidad and Tobago. |
| so few people with phones that operators and | | | | The NANS system is made up of 3-digit area codes |
| customers recognized each other. Area codes? Who | | | | plus 7-digit telephone numbers. If you call a 7-digit |
| needed area codes? | | | | number within your own area code, you do not need |
| However, as more and more people got phones, the | | | | to include the area code. The phone number system |
| process of routing callers to the folks they were | | | | will automatically assume you are calling someone |
| calling got more complicated and required changing | | | | within your own area and dial that number. If you dial |
| telephone numbers forever. | | | | the area code, the system will route your call to the |
| Short numbers became impossible. And longer | | | | appropriate area phone network which will then send |
| numbers were seen as being unwieldy and confusing. | | | | your call to the number you have dialed. |
| But something had to be done. | | | | Thanks to area codes, we can now have an unlimited |
| The first attempt to manage telephone numbers for | | | | number of phones and phone numbers (including cell |
| a rapidly increasing number of telephones was a | | | | phones). Should an area get too large and run out of |
| combination of letters and numbers...for example, | | | | phone numbers within an area code...the phone |
| "TUcker 5565". Words were used to help callers | | | | companies just divides the area and create a new |
| remember their phone numbers. But, to the phone | | | | area code! |
| company, 'Tucker 5565' was actually 'TU 5565' which | | | | |