Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
Poorfellow
Enthusiast - Level 3

@MarvKirsch wrote:

I am considering switching over to Verizon Digital Voice, I already have Verizon phone service as part of my quad package.  I understand that there are some more features, as well as a reduction of a certain tax resulting in apporx $8 savings per month.  The only drawback, as far as my wife is concerned, is that we would be required to dial the area code even if we are calling next door.  I am curious as to why that is.  I live on Long Island, New York.  Any insight would be helpful.  I have used the speed dial argument, but I am getting resitance.  Thanks in advance.  Marv


Ten digit calling is the dial plan in all of NYC.  Based on the number of legacy and overlay area codes, NYNEX/Bell Atlantic chose to stick with a consistent "always use the area code to dial within the LATA" plan.

I believe that most of the wire centers in the 516 area code are also subject to this 'all or nothing' solution, and the tandem switch (the aggregate switch for a large area) would need to receive the full number to determine within which overlay area code the recipient of the call's switch exists.

Keep in mind you live in the most densely-populated region of the US, so it makes sense to instill the expectation of using the area code to avoid mis-dialing.  A ton of exchanges are recycled across overlay area codes in the NY metropolitan area, leading to potential constant mis-dialing if the area code could be omitted -- this was the case in the 1980s when the 718 area code was introduced to extend the life of 212.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
Poorfellow
Enthusiast - Level 3

@mleduc3565 wrote:

Digital Voice is Internet based. The call routes the internet at large and works differently then the old style Copper phone lines

Within the internet based calling the system has no way of paying attention to where you are calling from so it needs the area code to call any number.


Based on account info, the soft switch is fully capable of acknowledging the location of the subscriber.  It would seem that Verizon prefers the 10-digit scheme to allow flexibility in implementation, or end-user consistency.

In the case of the original poster, the adjacent region will most likely move to a 10-digit calling plan due to congestion at some point.  The NY PUC has been aggressive in adding area codes to alleviate exhaustion of exchange numbers.

In NYC, we're already using 10-digit dialing, even for local calls on POTS.  Such is life in (or near) the big city...

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
ri4sail
Newbie

I found the same to be true after our conversion to digital over the weekend. I find it extremely annoying. To say that it has to be done that way is not true. The fact of the matter is the the switches could be programmed to do operate in any number of ways that would allow users to not be required to dial area codes for  calls. It is not a technical limitation, in fact with VoIP it would probably be easier to accomplish.  

It is more a matter of Verizon's willingness to accommodate user  preferences vs. supporting some additional complexity/cost in maintaining their network. So eventually we will all get over it and use 10 digit dialing. Far better that end users be inconvenienced, rather than Verizon's technical staff  🙂

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

I commented on a possible solution for this before, but here it is again. Why doesn't the phone manufacturer offer the option to prepend a user-selected 3-digit area code to any 7-digit number that is dialed? Being a programmer myself, that would be a no-brainer to accomplish. To date, I have found no phone manufacturer that offers that feature. Is it because there simply isn't much of a market?.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
tns
Master - Level 2

@GaryDoug wrote:

I commented on a possible solution for this before, but here it is again. Why doesn't the phone manufacturer offer the option to prepend a user-selected 3-digit area code to any 7-digit number that is dialed? Being a programmer myself, that would be a no-brainer to accomplish. To date, I have found no phone manufacturer that offers that feature. Is it because there simply isn't much of a market?.


That one wouldn't work.  Lots of exchanges match area codes.  What was working before was requiring a 1 (or 0 for operator assistance) and then the area code.  I believe no exchanges or area codes begin with a 0 or 1.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

Actually, it not only would work, it has worked for me. I programmed the PC to do the dialing for me at my small business and have prepended any missing local area code to the number. If I can do it, so can the phone manufacturers. It would be an option for the user to either use it or not.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
tns
Master - Level 2

The difference there is the device (PC or phone) would have to indicate that you have given it the complete number and therfore add the area code first.   Many people dial slowly with long pauses to check a number and therefore wouldn't want the Verizon service to guess that they have finished a number andd want the area coded added to the number they are dialing.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

Beat the dead horse huh. All 3 of my different phones work this way by design: Dial a number then press talk. The pressing of the talk button indicates that the dialer is done. This really isn't rocket science.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
tns
Master - Level 2

@GaryDoug wrote:

Beat the dead horse huh. All 3 of my different phones work this way by design: Dial a number then press talk. The pressing of the talk button indicates that the dialer is done. This really isn't rocket science.



And there are smoe phones that automatically add the local area code in such cases.  Still doesn't help in the case of dialing after connecting to the phone system.  The phone doesn't send an indicator of the last digit dialed.

Many would have liked it if Verizon's FIOS Digital Voice had chosen to recognize your local exchange, and required you to dial 11 digits for long distan e, but they didn't.

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Re: Why do you have to dial the area code if you are calling from the same area code
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

A business associate of mine uses this telephone system for his office:

http://www.yeastar.com/Products/MyPBX.asp

From page 33 of the "MyPBX Standard User Manual" :
"·Prepend these digits before dialing: These digits will be prepended to the phone number before the call is placed. For example, if a trunk requires 10 digit dialing, but users are more comfortable with 7 digit dialing, this field could be used to prepend a 3 digit area code to all 7 digit phone numbers before calls are placed. When using analog trunks, a 'w' character may also be prepended to provide a slight delay before dialing "

This is the way Verizon should have done it. That way it would work for any phone.

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