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Posted: Sunday, 01 November 2009 7:23AM
872: Chicago's newest area code to begin use
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Call it the price of progress. With the proliferation of landlines, cell phones, business lines, modems, and faxes, the Chicago area has been using up its available 312 and 773 phone numbers. To supplement these numbers a new area code -- 872 -- will be introduced next Saturday, Nov. 7, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission.
The 872 area code will overlay the 773 and 312 area codes to supplement the telephone number supply and thus will require 11-digit dialing in the city of Chicago.
Beginning on Saturday, Nov. 7, all calls must be dialed with 1+ Area Code + Telephone Number, a release from the ICC said. Residents will no longer be able to dial seven digits to a local number inside their area code. Even if you're calling your next-door neighbor, for instance, you'll still have to dial 1 + Area Code, even if their area code is the same as yours. Residents are reminded that their phone number(s) will not change. The only thing that will change is the way they dial the number. With the 872 area code, current customers will keep their existing phone numbers as well as their 312 or 773 area codes.
“For nearly 15 years, Illinois has led the nation in creative and effective methods in number conservation. Our number pooling efforts here have forestalled the need for the new 872 area code for nearly a decade,” ICC Chairman Charles E. Box said.
“Residents and businesses should prepare for 11-digit dialing by ensuring any equipment with automatic dialing features is programmed with all 11 digits to avoid any interruptions in communication,” city Commissioner of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Norma I. Reyes said.
Modems, faxes, or phone equipment set on auto dial, will have to be re-programmed to dial 11 digits instead of seven digits. Residents may need to reprogram other equipment such as fax machines, dial-up modems, internet connections, multi-line key or PBX systems, or any equipment with automatic dialing features.
Consumers seeking additional telephone lines will, in most cases, continue to be able to obtain 312 and 773 telephone numbers, even after the 872 area code is in service.
This requirement does not affect the cost of the call. A local call will remain a local call, and a toll call will remain a toll call, regardless of the number of digits that are dialed to complete it.
Area code overlays are in place in 21 states, including four in Illinois. (630/331, 847/224, 815/779 and now, 312/773/872).
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Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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