Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!mhuxa!houxm!hogpc!houxt!klein From: klein@houxt.UUCP Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Please Leave Only Your Phone Number Please Message-ID: <319@houxt.UUCP> Date: Fri, 22-Jul-83 11:23:01 EDT Article-I.D.: houxt.319 Posted: Fri Jul 22 11:23:01 1983 Date-Received: Sat, 23-Jul-83 01:47:43 EDT Lines: 29 The New York City (area code 212) and Greater Los Angeles (area code 213) recently ran out of telephone exchanges and had to start giving what three digit sequences which used to be used exclusively for area codes (middle digit of 0 or 1) as regular telephone exchanges. One side effect was that to differentiate between the first three digits being an area code and a regular telephone exchange resulting in a local call one is now required to dial a '1' before an out-of-area call. Certain other regions of the country have always required dialing a '1' before an out-of-area call but I assume that is due to an unsophisticated switchboard that does not differentiate between an area code and a local exchange (put more simply it does not check the second digit to see if it is a 0 or 1). Now to my complaint: Why is it that when certain people leave their telephone numbers and include the area code they must leave it as 1-xxx-xxx-xxxx. If I am calling from an area that requires the '1' prefix then it is understood that I must dial the '1'. If I am calling from an area that does not require the '1' prefix before an out-of-area (such as New Jersey) then it is unnecessary and possibly incorrect to dial the '1', and secondly it is very presumptuous of you to assume that the whole world has to dial the '1' just because you do. The worst offenders are all those TV commercials that leave a toll-free number as 1-800-xxx-xxxx instead of simply 800-xxx-xxxx. One final note: Most net readers (correct me if this is an incorrect assumption) must dial a '9' before placing an outside call, why don't people who leave phone numbers starting with a '1' leave it as 9-1-xxx-xxx-xxxx. So next time please leave just the 10 digit sequence of area code and phone number I don't care what your local requirements (if I'm calling from a hotel room I may have to call an operator to dial) are. NDK