Comments about ‘10-digit dialing is on its way’

This was and is a mistake. Why was I the only one writing the PSC against this?

Any chance we can get someone smart to block the change?

I grew up in Utah and eventually moved to northern Virginia near D.C. Here we use 10-digit dialing and two area codes. Actually I use about five area codes because lots of people live in D.C., Maryland, and more rural Virginia. It didn't take long to get used to dialing 10 digits and having to write that down, on paper or on a cell phone, with people's numbers.

One concern you may have is not knowing where a given phone number is located anymore. Actually you can still tell where a prefix is located, but you'll have to remember that the 801 prefixes are different from the 385 prefixes. It will probably take time to get used to where 385 prefixes are located because there won't be many of them initially. But don't worry--you'll get used to it.

It really is not as scary and complecated as it sounds. Several years ago I lived in an area where I did much business in Maryland when they began overlay calling and in no time at all it becomes habit.

As others have said, this really isn't a big deal. I already program the area code in my cell phone for people on speed dial, and dialing an extra 3 digits isn't all that hard. It would be worse having everyone outside of Salt Lake County have their phone number reassigned as they would no longer live within the boundaries of the 801 code. Haven't people ever dialed a long distant number before? It's not rocket science. The new dialing method will be the same, but without the preceding one for local calls. Sheesh.

Why is this a mistake, you say? All you have to do is to have an effort to dial three extra numbers? Or is that too much work for you?

I've been in California, around Los Angeles region. They have all the area codes everywhere so it's a habit dialing ten digit numbers which isn't a problem. It's only three extra numbers. Big deal. They have to accommodate the growth of the population. Nothing we can do about that...

Sure, we'll get used to it, just like we'll adjust to $5.00/gallon (or more) gas. We're not "a little flock". We are people tired of being more inconvenienced than necessary.

The story says we'll easily adjust once we realize the "advantages". It neglects to point out the "advantages" we will be receiving. I understand there are advantanges for businesses, but what about for the ordinary Jane or Joe?

The problem is that
1. you will have to dial more numbers. For a small business that can't have all contacts on speed dial, that is a big deal.
2. You will NOT know without asking where the new area code will be. The person or business next to you might be 801 or not. New businesses and new homeonwners and new cellphone owners will likely get the new area code, or if you move or add more lines.
3. Just because it has worked in other areas, doesn't mean it is a good idea. The simplest idea would have been to add several area codes so that we wouldn't have to do this now. When they added 435, it was done very well. they easily could have added two or 3 area codes now, and we wouldn't have to deal with the 10 digits. Yes, you might still have to dial more numbers, I have to dial 801 to get to layton or provo from a landline anyway. But You know where the area codes are. With an overlay system you won't. Any number in SLC might be 801 or the new one.

@arc-how is this a mistake? Please explain.

@Lynny-how is this inconnvenienced? I guess one's reliance on technology with their limitations will inconvienence anyone.

"New people moving in will get the 385 area code, so their next-door neighbor could have a different area code than you have," Orchard said. "People will have to adjust to that."

When the PSC asked about an overlay split a few years ago, everyone said no. This time, they had the meeting, with almost no comments, except the phone companies.

I, for one, would have rather been in an area with a new area code, than be in an area with more than one.

This is just stupid... how hard would it be to program the phone company's computers to default to the same area code if only 7 digits are used?

As far as "getting used to it goes", they used 10 digit numbers in a previous area I lived... and I thought it was stupid there, too.

It is long distance to call Layton from Holladay but will it tell me that I have to dial a one first like it said in the article, or will it just connect?

How about overlay by giving all new cell phones the 385 number and all new land lines the 801 number. Make more sense then you would know what the prefix meant instead of mixing. It is maily cell phones driving this.
Yes it takes no more than a few seconds to type in three numbers but why should all carry the small burden a the business community.

Many of these comments show a lack of understanding the real problem. What is proposed here is not like LA or Northern VA, because there you can usually guess what the prefix is based on geography (downtown LA will always be 213, for example). What our PSC has approved will mean that two business right next door to each other in downtown SLC could have different "area" codes, meaning they are no longer really "area" codes. Stupid.

Lynny and arc, WHY?? This is not a big deal. It is not the same as adjusting to high gas prices. This is what happens when we live in a high population area. If you don't like it, I'm sure you can move to any number of tiny towns and not hurt your fingers dialing 3 extra numbers.

HUH?????

I agree this is a mistake, and it's not because it is inconvenient to dial 3 extra numbers. That's not a big deal. What is a big deal is my new future neighbor could have a 385 area code and guess what? It will be long distance to call my neighbor who lives 20 feet from me. No wonder the phone companies love this plan - they get to charge us long distance every time we dial a different area code to call our friends and loved ones who live down the street.

I lived in California when they implemented a new area code to keep up with growth. It was done right. My area code changed to a new one and it was not a big deal. At least everyone around me had the same area code and we didn't get charged long distance when we wanted to call a nearby friend.

This is truly a stupid plan. Who's lame-brain idea was this anyway?

I'm sorry, but all of the anti-10-digit people sound like whiners. It's EASY. I've lived in many areas now, and you just tell someone your 10-digit number. Constantly here in Boston, and before in Phoenix, people that live next to you have different area code due to their house addresses or cell phone originating areas. Seriously. It's a piece of cake, people.

@ Stupid Plan -

Phone numbers with the 385 code will still be local calls. Take a look at the article.

What will be really confusing is when someone gets a new cell phone. Their land line might be 801 and the cell phone a different area code. This would make it very easy to confuse the numbers if they are not programmed in a speed dial. This inconvenience for all was done simply so business doesn't have to order new stationary and change their web sites.

They solved their numbering problems by adding one digit to their 7 digit dialing. Instead of 555-1234 every existing phone number was assigned an extra digit - 9555-1234. That way, when they added new phone numbers, they had ten million new available numbers without adding area codes. 8555-1234, 7555-1234, etc.