Dial 2-5-0 THEN the Phone Number As of Today

Monday, June 23, 2008 03:58 AM

Prince George, B.C. - Today is the day, 10 digit phone numbers take effect in the 250.

You must add 250 to your local calls, dialing long distance remains unchanged, you have to dial 1- then the area code, then the number.

This marks the start of a "permissive" dialing period so that if you forget to add the area code, a friendly voice will tell you that you are supposed to start adding the area code to all local calls.

Come September 12th, the change is mandatory.

In areas of rapid growth within the 250 ( the Okanagan and Vancouver Island) a second area code may be added to new numbers, so in the future you may have to call a 778 area code.

"Where we are seeing the most growth is in cell phones" says Shawn Hall, Telus spokesperson, "so if we didn't add this new area code we would run out of numbers."

Calls to the emergency number of 9-1-1 will NOT be changed, that remains a three digit number.

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