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Posting-Version: version Vortex 1.0 6/6/83; site vortex.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!vortex!lauren
From: Lauren Weinstein 
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Dial "1" first, etc.
Message-ID: <72@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 30-Jul-83 02:20:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: vortex.72
Posted: Sat Jul 30 02:20:37 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 24-Jul-83 22:08:13 EDT
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 57

C'mon!  It isn't really fair to blame "the phone company" for
the variation when it comes to dialing one or another prefix
digits.  Different area's phone systems have evolved largely
independently of each other, based on financing for new equipment
approved by local PUC's, the PARTICULAR phone companies involved,
the age of the existing equipment, etc.  Whether central offices were
mostly Step by Step, Crossbar, ESS, or (in the old days) Panel
can also be relevant.  It is impossible to change the entire
telephone network simultaneously, and whenever any local company
TRIES to make a change they tend to get flack from someone 
(note the recent foolishness about splitting area code 212 in New York).

In Europe (and most of the rest of the world, for that matter) the
situation is FAR worse.  In a given area there can be all sorts
of varied access codes, and local numbers (even in a single exchange)
may not have the same number of digits (some range from 3 to 8 or more!)
Similarly, "city codes" (like our area codes) also may vary widely in length,
even within the same country.  Trying to make a trunk (long distance)
direct call from some overseas points can be a fascinating experience
in the bizarre.  Business cards overseas also often mirror the confusion.
Frequently an access code is included on the card, such as in:

(01) 452 8212  (London)
 AC

A = trunk dialing access code
C = city code

If you were dialing this number from the U.S., you would call:

011 44 1 452 8212
acc CC c number..

acc = international access code
 CC = country code
  c = city code  

Anyway, it gets very confusing.

Advertisers in the U.S. by and large attempt to make sure that
their phone numbers will be understood by the majority of
"viewers", so many now include the prefix "1" on the assumption
that most areas do require the prefix.

By the way, Los Angeles was the first U.S. city to start assigning
local prefixes that "look" like area codes -- quite a few years
ago, in fact.  I still have some of the promotional "dial 1 first"
stickers from about 10 years ago or so when this all began here
in L.A.  We even have a local prefix "700" -- talk about strange.
Now we wait with anticipation for the split off of The Valley
to its own area code (818) early next year.  I haven't seen
any serious complaints, nor did I hear about any real complaints
when San Diego and the surrounding area switched from 714 to 619
(and Orange County kept 714).  Those people who are kicking up such
a fuss in New York City about 212 are wacko.

--Lauren--