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CRTC is on it Toronto: 416 & 647 area codes “expected to run out of telephone numbers by July 2015″

By on July 20, 2010 at 3:24pm in Asides, Mobile News

The CRTC issues a press release today that they have started the “process to resolve the projected telephone number shortage that will affect Toronto in 2015″. That’s right… for those who are located in Toronto it sounds like they’ll be adding to the 416 & 647 area code soon. Hopefully the CRTC moves fast because the numbers are expected to run out by July of 2015.

The release stated that “The Commission will establish a Relief Planning Committee to evaluate various relief options and make recommendations to the CRTC. The CRTC will then determine the most appropriate relief plan, taking into consideration the Committee’s recommendations.”

In the official filing the CTRC says you can get involved too:
“10. Parties interested in participating in the activities of the 416/647 RPC (including receiving copies of all submissions) must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by filling out the online form or by writing to the Secretary General (by mail: CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2; by fax: 819-994-0218) by 20 August 2010 (the registration date). Parties are to provide their email addresses, where available. If parties do not have access to the Internet, they are to indicate in their notice whether they wish to receive disk versions of hard-copy filings.”

Check it out here at the CRTC
Press release here

Related posts:

  1. Quebec to get new 873 area code in 2011
  2. CRTC adds a new 579 area code to Montreal starting August 21st
  3. New Area Codes coming: Ottawa getting 343, Montreal to get 579
  4. CRTC congratulates Canadian wireless providers that “have risen to the challenge” of upgrading 911 services

Discussion

7 comments for “CRTC is on it Toronto: 416 & 647 area codes “expected to run out of telephone numbers by July 2015″”

  1. I will repeat it again. Develop a separate number scheme for nation wide cell phone use. This will solve more many problems. Not only will it ease the pressure on the numbers and area code problem. It will make it easier for people to move and not have to change numbers. Australia has 10 digit phone numbers for cell phones, they all start with 04xx xxx xxx, this seems to be working for the 22 million people so far. I am not sure how many numbers it can handle though.

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    Posted by Gussy | July 20, 2010, 3:43 pm
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  2. can’t we free up a bunch of phone numbers by ending our dependency on FAX machines?

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    Posted by Scott S | July 20, 2010, 3:48 pm
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  3. Gussy they tried that. That’s what the 600 area code was for. It didn’t take off because nobody wanted to pay long distance to call those numbers.

    This is why everybody wants a 416/647 number because it’s a local call from most places in the GTA.

    This will only change when carrier start having province-wide and Canada-wide long distance as standard features.

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    Posted by Joe | July 20, 2010, 5:26 pm
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  4. @Gussy

    All of the phone companies could easily do nationwide calling at no extra cost, but it’s big money for them. So even if they did change the numbering system, the telcos would still find a way to charge you extra for it.

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    Posted by Sid | July 20, 2010, 6:56 pm
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  5. How about removing the antique idea of fixed-length numbers? Allowing numbers with just one or two additional digits opens up millions of new numbers without having to introduce new area codes.

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    Posted by Joe | July 20, 2010, 10:56 pm
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  6. Yes fortunately they moved fast because with the CRTC it may take 4 years to resolve this issue

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    Posted by jmmm | July 21, 2010, 1:59 am
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  7. Thanks Joe and Sid.

    The way that they do it in Australia, is have a different call rate to Cell phones, a few cents more. That way you can call locally, across the country and it is the same rate. Much easier to negotiate and calculate. I would think that could be the same here.

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    Posted by Gussy | July 23, 2010, 12:13 pm
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