Prince George, B.C. - This could be a very busy weekend for many people and businesses as the region moves closer to 10 digit dialing.

 

As of Monday, the “permissive” period begins. 

 

That means you will be connected if you only dial 7 digits, but you will hear a special message reminding you to start including the area code in your dialing. (click here to listen to special message)

 

Shawn Hall, Communications Manager for Telus says anyone with pre-programmed numbers in their phones will have to reprogram those items.

 

“Emergency numbers and long distance won’t be impacted” says Hall, 9-1-1 remains unchanged as does 4-1-1.

 

“We’ve been working with businesses for about a year now hoping to make their transition as smooth as possible.”

 

While cable internet subscribers will not be impacted, anyone on dial-up is. They should contact their service provider to find out how to change the dial up number.   ABC  Communications has  sent out an advisory to it's  dial up  internet customers:

 

 

The  other  major business impact is to alarm companies.  Tony Curtis of Curtis Elite Security in Prince George, says his team  has been on top of this  matter for  the past four years "When  they added the 604 to numbers  in that part of the Province we  contacted Telus to see if  the same would happen in the 250, they said no, but, we tried adding the 250 to  pre-programmed numbers and  the calls went through, so we have automatically been adding the  area code to all customers  for the past four years."  Curtis says  they have one staff person dedicated to ensuring all customers are  properly linked "We have been checking our master list of all our customers, and have been upgrading their  alarm dial out and all the changes will be made well in advance of the mandatory changeover."

 

Hall says the “250” will run out of new numbers early in the new year at which time a new area code will be given to all new phone service, that new 3 digit preface number will be 778 and will be used in the 604 and the 250 regions.

 

You can dial the 10 digit number now if you like, the system is already set up to take the change, the permissive message for those who dial the 7 digit number won’t start until Monday.

 

As of September 12^th, only 10 digit numbers will be connected.