As of this printing,
a technological advance is passing us by. In this case, it may
be a good thing, although we ultimately will have to join the
rest of the world.
According to Sterling Sawyer with the Oregon Public Utilities
Commission, when they first started installing telephone lines
the assigned telephone numbers were in linear order: numbers to
the north of the prefix spur started with one, those to the east,
2, for example. A prefix is the three digit dialing code after
the area code that identifies your calling area such as 842 for
Tillamook, 738 for Seaside. After the prefix, the initial system
identified where you were located along the spur. The 28th house
from the east of the #2 spur contained a 28 within the number
to dial, etc. The problem with that system, however, was that
if a homeowner wanted to move, let's say, two blocks over, they
had to be assigned a new telephone number, to correspond with
their new address. Soon that changed to allow people to "take
their number with them," if they moved within the same prefix.
People moving out of a prefix area, a move from Garibaldi to Astoria,
for example, would receive a new telephone number anyway.
According to Sawyer, the next level of evolution will probably
bring what are now being called "Personal Communications,"
a portable telephone number that you, as a person, not a home
or business, carry with you.
"The problem with personal communications," said Sawyer,
"is there is no geographical reference. If you call your
babysitter while you are out to dinner, you want to be sure that
she is answering the phone from your home, for example. In addition,
if you are away from home with your cell phone and you want to
call your spouse who is also away, that person needs a phone and
a personal communications number as well. You will end up needing
a global positioning system telephone for every member of the
family...The days of the Star Trek crew with a communicator button
on their shirt may not be that far off."
Before we reach that point, however, we have the system of ten
digit dialing. Currently, if you are calling within our local
calling area, you simply dial seven digits and get connected.
If you want to dial a location further away, but still not long
distance, you add the area code, for what is called ten digit
dialing. Sawyer predicts the time will come when we lose seven
digit dialing altogether: It will be a national norm to dial ten
digits before the year 2005, he said.
Why? Within the current system, the maximum capacity of any given
area code is 796 prefix codes. At the rate the state of Oregon
is assigning prefixes, our list of available prefixes (adding
the 717 prefix to Seaside, the 338 prefix to Astoria, etc.) will
be exhausted by the end of 1999 or early 2000. No more telephone
numbers would be available within the 503 area code. In order
to avoid a crisis of "no more numbers," representatives
of the PUC have analyzed options and presented two for consideration:
"split" the 503 area code into two areas, assigning
part of the map a totally new replacement area code, as they did
for those receiving 541; or "overlay" a new area code
over the 503 area, adding the new area code as new numbers are
assigned. With the overlay method, all callers must dial ten digits
on all calls, since the home or business next to you may have
the new area code. Worldwide, ten digit dialing is the trend.
Our solution for now is a combination of the two options. The
coastal area code will be split off from the rest of the 503 area
code, and the portion east of the split will experience the overlay.
As of February 2000, all new numbers in the east of the state
will receive the new area code. The coast will remain the same
for now, with seven digit local calling, using up the rest of
the 503 numbers available. I guess you could say, "Don't
beam us up yet, Scottie."LCB
Oregon Public Utilities Commission
Contact: Sterling Sawyer, Sr. Economic Analyst, Financial Analysis
Div.
Address: 550 Capitol Street NE
Salem, Oregon 97310-1380
Telephone: 503/378-6621
Fax: 503/373-7752
e-mail: sterling.sawyer@state.or.us
Hours: 7:15 a - 6:15 p, M - F
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