Went to the city’s website today and found out that Raleigh will require 10-digit dialing by the end of the month. I didn’t hear anything about this until now.
The March 31st deadline doesn’t leave a lot of time for phone system vendors, alarm vendors, and others to update their equipment. This could be a trainwreck in the making.
The growing population in central North Carolina and addition of devices that require a phone number is exhausting the available numbers in the 919 area code. The North Carolina Utilities Commission has announced a new area code is coming to the 919 region. The 984 area code will overlay the 919 area code bringing 10-digit dialing to the region. You won’t have to change telephone numbers, just the way you dial in the 919 area code. The 984 area code will be assigned only for new telephone numbers within the area code.
Effective March 31, 2012, 10-digit dialing – the appropriate area code (919 or 984) + the seven-digit number – will be necessary for local and expanded local calls. It will not be necessary to dial a "1" or a "0" when dialing your local and expanded local calls. Local calling areas and rates will not be affected by this change.
via Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing Coming to 919 Region Mar. 31 – The Official City of Raleigh Portal.
I thought we already had to do this? Maybe that’s just on my cellphone, though.
When I was with Net10 (which used the AT&T network) I had to dial 10 digits. When I switched to Virgin Mobile (which uses Sprint’s), I could just dial the 7 digits.
Today’s article in the N&O’s Midtown Raleigh News said the phone companies have been getting the word out through inserts in their bills. Since I have VoIP service and am not a customer of Bellsouth’s, I have not received any notices. I imagine there are many other folks like me, too, who don’t have traditional landline service.