Toronto’s two new area codes approved
Published On Fri Jul 22 2011
Vanessa Lu Business Reporter
It’s official.
Toronto’s newest area code will be 437, and because of soaring demand for phone numbers, the area code 387 is set aside for future use.
The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission announced Friday the approval of the 437 area code in Toronto because the city would likely run out of its current 416 and 647 numbers by May 2014.
The new area code will go into effect on March 25, 2013, on the same date that 365 is already scheduled to be introduced in the 905 area.
High-tech gadgets from tablets to Internet sticks plus smartphone use are causing soaring demand for new numbers.
Each area code holds about 7.5 million possible numbers. Almost all of 416 are in use, and 647 has two-thirds of its numbers assigned. That translates into about 11.5 million numbers in an area with a population of 2.5 million, or more than four numbers per person.
The Canadian Numbering Administrator, which oversees Canadian area codes on behalf of the telecom industry and the CRTC, recommended 437 because it works with potential phone numbers.
When officials choose a new area code, they want to avoid duplicate or confusing combinations such as 647-647-0000 or 647-416-0000.
“There’s no hocus-pocus. There are no warm and fuzzy feelings. There is no favourite numbers, it’s just a plain old cold spreadsheet,” said CNA director Glenn Pilley in an interview earlier this week. “That’s the one that fell out of the spreadsheet.”
The introduction of 437 will coincide with 365, a new area for the 905 area that surrounds Toronto, stretching from Niagara to Oshawa. Its other area code 289, used mostly for cellphones, is also in high use.
Although both area codes will go into effect in 2013, but Pilley says it likely won’t be in widespread use for another year, though some companies might want to grab a few key numbers right away.
“We like to put the new area code in a year early, in case there is a technical glitch, or in case there’s a run on numbers for a new type of service,” he said.
In its ruling, the CRTC said because Toronto already has 10-digit local dialling, adding the 437 area code “would present minimal issues with very minimal disruption to subscribers.”
By introducing both 437 and 365 on the same date, it should make it easier for phone carriers and consumers, it added.