Important Research Project!

[c9]

Please report the results of these actions, and your location.

• Pick up the nearest landline phone and dial a local phone number with your area code in front, but without the 1. (Example: 519-123-4567)
  
  
• Pick up the nearest landline phone and dial a long distance phone number with the area code in front, but without the 1.
  
  
• Now do both again with a cell phone.

Why? Because some places apparently you can do it* and the phone company says it's OK. I know that ten digit dialing (the first bullet) is getting common in the big cities, but you may be surprised to find it working in your smaller city as well! And I'm most curious about the second bullet.

* "it" meaning dial a ten digit long distance number and get connected anyway.

Note: no expenses shall be reimbursed for your participation in this exciting project.

Comments

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

We've had 10-digit dialing here in the DC area for many many years.

[c9.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's been in GTA and Ottawa and K-W for 0.5-3.0 years already. Mostly I'm interested in the "dial ten digits even if it's long distance" situation.

[thespos]

For the great state of Arizona...

Local calls may be made with or without the area code, provided it is the same area code, via landline. All long distance (non-similar area code) require a 1, while local area codes that are not long distance do not. For example, my home is located in 480, and area codes 602 and 623 are local. It is optional to dial 602 and 623 with or without a 1. 480 does not require an area code.

All cell phone numbers require the area code, but not a 1, irrespective of local or long-distance. My cell phone is a 602 number, and even if I dial another 602 number, I must include the area code.

In summary:

Landline: local does not require a 1, long distance requires a 1 plus the area code. Local, same area code - no area code or 1 required. Local, different area code, area code but no 1 required.

Cell Phone: all numbers require area code, but not a 1.

[jamincan.livejournal.com]

I don't have a landline, but I dial all numbers, local and long distance with the 1 and the area code. I do know that with a landline, the phone system whines if I dial a local number with the 1.

[jamincan.livejournal.com]

In case I wasn't clear enough, I use a cellphone normally.

[rebelprince26.livejournal.com]

what's a "land line?"

[egregiousness.livejournal.com]

I might suggest www.nanpa.com (http://www.nanpa.com/) as the definitive source of the information you seek.

They provide (amongst way too much other stuff) a full list of area codes and their properties, which you can find under Numbering Resources / NPA (Area) codes. You can even download an Access database with the full list (for fun offline reading).

[primary-suspect.livejournal.com]

Interesting site but that doesn't really help this situation, especially for Canada.

We did a test this weekend. Dialing a 10 digit number that is long-distance from a landline and 3 different cell phone providers gave different results for each. ;-( So it seems that there are no standards and all the companies just do their own thing.