Why did the phone numbers in North America go from 7 numbers to 10?

Question

What signifigance is this, and who/what likes to use 10 all the time?

in parts or most of USA and Canada you must dial the area code no matter if your calling yourself Salam

Your answers are so COOL!

It has everything to do with religion actually just to make a point now that you have opened that door... everything is from Allah SWT so everything as to do with religion even an Athiest... he was created by Allah SWT if they like it or not, and they will return to Allah SWT if they like it or not... you can run from Allah SWT but you will only find youself running back to Allah SWT Amin.

THIS QUESTION IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE I WILL PROVE IT SOON unless someone else does first and that is why I posted it... most of you have already touched greatly on the answer... but don't know it... :)

Answer 1

Cause, if you give everyone snacks first they would never enjoy their dinner! lol

Allah does things for us in peace meal
Significance is 10 is Allah SWT magic number everyone knows that, where do you think the metric system came from.
and wonder why USA doesn't use it, does it have anything to do with their crappy technology they make! hahah and use
ie: massive power outage of the entire mid west from Edsel tech they used and still using while the rest of the world is being invaded.. they keep using their old technology why I wonder... imperial system! ahhahaaha

Salam!

Answer 2

I am not clear on what you mean exactly. My telephone number has been 10 digits for the last 40 or 50 years. All phone numbers have a 3 digit area code, indicating what state, or part of the state, you live in. Then, it has a 3 digit exchange, which indicates which city. Then, it has a 4 digit number, which gets it to your house. I'm not exactly sure how long this has been the system, but it is all that I've ever known, and I'm in my 50's.

Some areas now require that everyone dial all 10 digits, even to call the house next door. Other areas only require the area code if you are calling long distance.

Whatever your area requires, then that's what you do.

Now, why did you post this on the Religion & Spirituality board? This question has nothing to do with religion.

Answer 3

Pagers and the phone companies unwillingness to change their archaic phone systems.

When pagers became extremely popular they started running out of phone numbers. There were people who told them long beforehand that this would occur and the phone systems needed to be updated. Of course the phone companies ignored these people and went about business as usual. Well sure enough, they ran out of phone number so they had to require the 10 digit dialing so that they could use the exchange and number more often. With 7 digits the maximum phone numbers you could have in the one are is 9, 999, 999 and that isn;t eliminating the fact you can't use 555 as an exchange.

Answer 4

Simple, they went to ten numbers when the local exchange ran out of numbers and they divided it into two areas. If you want some true dialing pleasure try a direct overseas call.
Overseascode, continental code, exchange code, country code, area code, local exchange code, billing code, number.
Billing code might be required after overseas code.

Most metropolitan areas are densely enough populated that you could be dialing an area code simply to call your neighbour across the street. Better just to open the front door and shout at her.

Answer 5

This is how it is in my area. Even locally you have to dial a 3 digit area code and the 7 other digits. They told us that it is because so many people have cell phones now, that there are not enough different numbers to assign if you only use 7 digits.

Answer 6

AT&T decided that it was too expensive to keep all those long distance operators on staff so they came up with the idea of area codes and started to implement direct distance dialing about 1960.

In large metropolitan areas we've been using ten digits even to call next door for about ten years now.

Pastor Art

Answer 7

It's not everywhere. the 7 numbers are the phone #. The 10 numbers are the area code plus the 7 number phone #.

Answer 8

They added the 3 extra numbers for the zip code or something. Now i gotta dial 215 all the time. It's a ******* *****.

Answer 9

That is only true of cell phones and internet phones not phones that are served by landlines. The landline 7 numbers would be over run by cell phones coming into their serving area.

Answer 10

I've heard that it's because they're adding new area codes.

As far as your second question goes, I'll bite: Who/what is it that you think likes to use 10 all the time? You've got me curious now.