385 area code (Provo, Ogden: credit, transit, metro)

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Originally Posted by Tim Tim Tim

I have had a land line, alot of people have them. I think you would be surprised how many people do. why cant the new people that get numbers get the 385, i just dont get why everyone has to dial an area code now. it doesnt make sense

It does make sense. Any new numbers are going to be assigned 385 area codes. So if you have a 801-484-2100 number, for example and someone else has 385-484-2100, how is the switching computer to know which one to send the call to? You neirghbor might have the 385-484-2100 number just down the street from you.

[Tim Tim Tim]

then you should have to dial 385 for the new person down the street. not 801 if your area code is 801 and everyone else on your street is.

for example if my area code is 801 and your area code is 801 but joe moves in down the road and his is 385 then sure, make us dial 385 for his. why should I have to dial 801 for yours

[Lmejh]

Originally Posted by Tim Tim Tim

then you should have to dial 385 for the new person down the street. not 801 if your area code is 801 and everyone else on your street is.

for example if my area code is 801 and your area code is 801 but joe moves in down the road and his is 385 then sure, make us dial 385 for his. why should I have to dial 801 for yours

That would make the process unwieldy and impractical; by that, I mean I'm sure that would make any 385 number a long-distance call when it's really in the same area code. So they can't really do that.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

No, it's only long distance if the tel co marks it as a toll charge. But it also penalizes the new numbers by making them "harder" to dial, or "different."

[Mtn. States Resident]

What I don't understand is why the new area code didn't start somewhere like Utah County and go south. Or, it could be Weber County going north. Look at the fastest growing counties and make a change that way. Don't confuse more people than necessary.

Sure, some of the smaller cities and towns would have to change from 435 to 385, but it makes more sense when one looks at how states have divided area codes geographically previously.

I'd keep Salt Lake County 801 as over 1 Million people are in the county. For businesses in the state, it is far easier to tell where business calls are coming from if a geographical area of the state has one area code until it needs another. The way it will be now with the 385 area code, businesses will have no idea if a caller is from Ogden, Bountiful, Salt Lake, Sandy/Draper, Provo/Orem, West Jordan etc.

It's a waste of time and effort to have to tell someone in Ogden that your business is in Orem, perhaps they would be happier with someone more local to them.

It may not sound like a big deal, but to small businesses who often receive more business due to having similar prefixes in their telephone numbers, that won't necessarily be the situation now.

UGH- really bizarre planning IMHO.

MSR

[Lmejh]

Originally Posted by Mtn. States Resident

The way it will be now with the 385 area code, businesses will have no idea if a caller is from Ogden, Bountiful, Salt Lake, Sandy/Draper, Provo/Orem, West Jordan etc.

If I'm understanding you right, wasn't it already like this before 385 was implemented? 801 covered (and still covers) Weber County south to Utah County (and Morgan County too). The 385 area code doesn't change anything in that regard.

[mitsuturbo]

dialling the area code first is something i guess i've just been accustomed to for as long as i can remember. possibly because the seattle metro area has had multiple area codes for a very long time.
i still dont see how anyone can justify having a landline when there are options like vonage and cellular is so incredibly affordable.. unless you have a home alarm that isn't working on cell technology yet for some reason. (as was mentioned earlier) qwest = ftl

[scirocco22]

Speaking of Seattle, I lived in that area when they split off the 206 area code. I was in Redmond, a Seattle suburb, and my 206 area code changed to 425. It was part of a four-way split of the 206 western Washington area code that took place in two phases in the mid-to-late 1990s. It split off geographically. Seattle itself kept 206, the north and eastern suburbs plus Everett were assigned 425, the southern suburbs plus Tacoma were assigned 253, and the rest of western Washington getting 360 in the first part of the split.

My point in posting was that there was quite a debate in the Seattle area similar to the one you folks are having. However, the decision makers decided to go with the geographic split. It was mulled over for quite awhile to just add the additional area codes to the entire western part of the state or at least the Seattle MSA (Seattle, Tacoma, Everett) as needed not taking into consideration the geographical location. So just as it sounds is happening in SLC, your next door neighbor could have a different area code. New numbers would be assigned the new area code. That didn't happen to the relief of most residents.

The manner in which it is being implemented in Utah is much more efficient use of available numbers. I believe in Seattle, it has been announced that if a new area code is ever needed in the future, it will take place like it is being done in Utah now ...new numbers would get the new area code and geography will have nothing to do with the assignment.

[Tim Tim Tim]

Tampa had several area codes. Well, TAMPA had its own but the surrounding area had several. st. pete/clearwater was 727, majority of tampa was 813 and then a little north in spring hill/brooksville was 385, go east to orlando and its different, south is different. Its not long distance, its just different. I didnt have to dial 813 when I called my neighbore there and I can assure you there are a hell of alot more people there then there are here .

[Tim Tim Tim]

336,823 - tampa

180,651 - salt lake

populations according to wiki. No area code dialing in the one with more then double the people.. makes sense..