Area codes 905 and 289

Area code 905 (with overlay area codes 289 and 365) is a telephone dialling area in southern Ontario. It includes the Niagara Peninsula, Hamilton, Oshawa, and the suburban Greater Toronto Area. It was assigned on 4 October 1993, as a split from area code 416. 289 began sharing the service area on 9 June 2001, since then, all local calls require ten-digit dialling. On 13 April 2010, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that area codes 905 and 289 would be overlaid by a third area code, 365, in early 2013.[1]

It surrounds area code 416/647/437 (the city of Toronto) and is bounded with area code 519/226 in the west, 705/249 in the north, 613/343 in the east, and area code 716 on the eastern prong of the Niagara Peninsula.

The incumbent local exchange carrier for these area codes is Bell Canada, which acquired the remaining independent company around 1980.

Contents

History

A previous version of 905 was once used as a block of alternate numbers for calls from the United States to Mexico (+52-5-...) in the days when overseas calls otherwise would have needed to be placed through a telephone operator. This use became obsolete with the widespread introduction of direct dial overseas calls and was completely abolished no later than February 1, 1991. Partly because of this prior usage of the number 905, area code 905 was the last of the "original-1947-format" area codes to be assigned (that is, area codes with "0" [zero] or "1" [one] for the middle digit, and 2-9 for the last digit). By October 1991, the numbering plan area (NPA) had been assigned for use resultant from the geographical split of the area code. Automatic number identification (ANI) on the NPA's switching systems began transmission on October 11, 1992 for some central office codes, and full conversion was achieved by January 1, 1994.

Only five years after its introduction, and with the proliferation of cell phones, fax lines, and secondary phone lines for home dial-up internet use, the NPA was exhausting numbers at a much faster rate than anticipated. By 1999, the CRTC had established an ad-hoc committee to study NPA relief planning for area code 905. A split of the 905 NPA was considered, with various options presented:

The first three options would allow for either 7- or 10-digit dialling, whereas the last required 10-digit dialling exclusively. The last option was chosen because it was easier to implement technically, and required no changes for existing customers in the 905 area. The 289 NPA overlay was approved by the CRTC on August 15, 2000 (Order CRTC 2000-772), came into service on April 7, 2001, and was in full operation by June 9, 2001.

905 officially became exhausted in November 2005. All new central office prefixes are assigned in NPA 289, as there are no longer any available prefixes in 905. Due to the fact this is a large and rapidly growing region, area code 365 has been assigned for further relief on March 25, 2013, and area code 742 has also been set aside as a fourth area code as such will be required within 15 years at current growth rates.[2]

In August 2000, Toufic Saliba, consultant and technical engineer at the Commission, directed the addition of area code 289 in the 905 area code region. In doing so, Saliba directed that all carriers put in place a 10-digit dialling plan for all local calls. In this order, the Commission directs Bell Canada to take the necessary steps to put in place the 10-digit local dialling plan.[3]

905 in popular culture

To be a 905er means residing in the suburbs of Toronto, while 416ers live in Toronto proper. The term the 905 or the 905 belt is also used to describe the suburban areas of the Greater Toronto Area,[4] while Toronto proper is referred to as the 416. While still part of the area code, the term does refer to areas more distant from Toronto, such as Hamilton and the Niagara Region. The term 905er is often used pejoratively by downtown and inner-city Toronto residents to refer to people from Toronto's suburbs.[5]

Canadian rapper Maestro rendered homage to the area code in his song "416/905 (TO Party Anthem)".

Rate centres and central office codes

See also

References

  1. ^ Hui, Ann (13 April 2010). "‘905’ gets some new numbers". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/794474--905-gets-some-new-numbers. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  2. ^ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-213.htm
  3. ^ Order CRTC 2001-840 (copy archived February 3, 2004)
  4. ^ "905 region to add new area code". CBC News. 13 April 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/04/13/toronto-365.html. Retrieved 2010-04-18. "The area around Toronto is known colloquially as "the 905," after the area code that was added in 1993 and covers such areas as Mississauga and Niagara Falls." 
  5. ^ Toronto, Cultural Tips, Places of a Lifetime, Travel, Photography - National Geographic

External links


Ontario area codes: 226, 249, 289, 343, 365, 416, 519, 613, 647, 705, 807, 905
North: 705
West: 519/226 Area codes 905 and 289 completely surrounding 416/647 East: 613/343, 716
South: 716, 585, Lake Ontario
New York area codes: 212, 315, 347, 516, 518, 585, 607, 631, 646, 716, 718, 845, 914, 917