Talk:List of North American area codes

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Remove links to discourage creation of articles on individual area codes

Would that really be so bad? There's a lot to be said about the history of Area code 213 or Area code 212. And as someone pointed out on the "needs attention page" (if it doesn't link to Area code 213, people are going to link to 213, as in AD. By the way, I'm biased--it took me FOREVER to put all the Area code XXX links in, and I wish it had been discussed in Talk before the links were totally removed. jengod 23:59, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)

Also, the following pages already exist, and links should probably be restored on the page:

And indeed it's already happened; someone has linked some of the numbers to the damn year articles! That's worse than the other alternatives. —Morven 00:14, Aug 25, 2004 (UTC)
- Wrod. Just changed all the links back to Area code XXX. I think there's nothing wrong with area code articles. Zip code articles (sans 90210) I could see being a problem, but area codes kind of make sense... jengod 18:36, Aug 25, 2004 (UTC)
- I agree. Area codes are tremendously important in American culture. Just look at how many rap songs claim to "the 313", "the 314" etc.

I proposed in the Deletion policy discussion that we place additional information about all but the most notable area codes as parenthetical or footnotes on this page. Reading this discussion, I begin to see the sense in allowing individual articles. Both arguments (linking practice and cultural significance) are convincing. Right now most of this stuff is trivia, but it's a big encyclopedia and one could argue that telecommunications boundaries are becoming more important as geographic boundaries lose importance. -- Also, what about somebody working up a map for this page? Dystopos 00:12, 12 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I created an article for Area Code 217, but (as you know) the page won't allow me to link to it. Feel free to change that at any time. RPH 05:24, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

1 "Starting with 1" note
2 Beginning cleanup
3 898
4 Category loop
5 US-centric area code page titles
6 Area Code links
7 Special codes
8 North American Numbering Plan expansion
9 Poll on individual article names

[edit] "Starting with 1" note

Seems to me the "starting with 1" comment doesn't belong on a list page, especially not in the opening para; it would presumably be explained on the Area code or NANP page. Besides, I'm not convinced of the explanation given (you could, of course, just dial a 1 before the 1 in the area code, just like you're supposed to do with any trans-area-code call). - Keith D. Tyler ¶ [AMA] 05:19, Apr 17, 2005 (UTC)

Also, I'm not sure how valid this is - I stumbled across this page trying to find geographical information on a number that I have on my caller ID right now, area code 124, exchange 301. Google hasn't been able to find it - seems kind of odd.

[edit] Beginning cleanup

Just wanted to note that I'm beginning cleanup of this page and the associated area code articles, as per what seems to be consensus at Wikipedia:Deletion policy/Area codes. Please feel free to pitch in. -- Avocado 23:47, 2005 May 19 (UTC)

[edit] 898

Could someone verify / elaborate on 898 being "reserved by the Fox Network"? That doesn't sound real.

FWIW, http://www.computerhope.com/areacode.htm says 898 is reserved for VoIP. But NANPA's search still lists it as an unassignable expansion code. - Keith D. Tyler ¶ 20:01, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Category loop

Am removing this from catagory "Area Codes" as it is already in subcatagory "North American Area Codes"....which is in catagory "Area Codes".

[edit] US-centric area code page titles

I've run into the rather valid comment that the naming of the NPA-specific articles are titled ambiguously but are actually US-centric.

US (or NANP) is not the the only place in the world that has its own "area codes"; and in no way are the NANP area codes unique within the area codes of the world, as they are only specific to their country (or in NANPs case, country code).

I propose that all articles of the type Area_code_XXX be changed to NANP_area_code_XXX, with the former ambiguous titles eventually phased out or replaced with disambiguation pages where appropriate.

Yes this is a lot of moves, but that would be a poor argument against repairing a US POV in article titling.

- Keith D. Tyler ¶ 18:10, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

I suggest Area_code_XXX (NANP), the usual clarification/disambiguation supplemental used when, in the course of time, multiple references appear (e.g. Airport (book), Airport (film)). GBC 23:52, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Area Code links

It just occured to me as to ask why the area codes themselves are hyperlinks when the state name next to them is where they redirect anyway? Pattersonc(Talk) 10:47 AM, Monday; January 30 2006 (EST)

[edit] Special codes

Shouldn't this article incluse the special area codes? (i.e. 911, 411, 711, 800) Some people might not know what they mean.

[edit] North American Numbering Plan expansion

I suggest that references to expansion be only lightly touched on in the opening paragraph and that a separate article be created to deal with expansion. Although one industry forum has made its recommendation, it may be perceived as radical or confusing to customers and regulatory action (FCC, CRTC to a small extent) may be required to settle on the plan.

Any comments? GBC 20:09, 8 September 2006 (UTC)