Area code 403

Area code 403 is a telephone area code in the Canadian province of Alberta, encompassing the southern third of the province, including the Calgary area. It is one of the original 89 area codes assigned in 1947 in the contiguous United States and the then nine provinces extent of Canada.

Prior to October 21, 1997, the 403 area code encompassed the whole province of Alberta, the Yukon and the western half of the Northwest Territories, reaching more than one ninth of the circumference of the planet from the 49th Parallel to the North Pole. The territories were given their own separate area code, 867, in 1997. On January 25, 1999, the northern two-thirds of Alberta, including Edmonton, was split into the new area code 780. Generally, everything from Red Deer and Lacombe southward stayed in 403. Permissive dialing of 403 continued across the province until May 18, 1999.

Optional provincewide 10-digit dialing began on June 23, 2008 and became mandatory on September 12, 2008.[1] This change was done to accommodate area code 587, which had been implemented as a provincewide overlay. On September 20, 2008; Telus Mobility began assigning 587 numbers to new customers in Calgary and Edmonton.

The incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) in 403 is Telus; prior to 1997, the larger 403 included EdTel (Edmonton Telephones, now part of Telus) and Northwestel as incumbent LECs. Prior to 1990, Telus was known as Alberta Government Telephones, and was a department of the provincial government.[2]

Communities included

[3]

Relief Planning

The projected exhaust date for Area Code 403 was March 2009. For more information see the Canadian Numbering Administrator Website. Two area codes, 587 and 825, have been reserved[4] and the first one, 587, was introduced in September 2008.[5] The 403 area code, simultaneously with area code 780, will be overlaid with the new area code, which will cover the entire province.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Let your fingers do the 10-digit walking". CBC News. 2008-06-23.
  2. ↑ http://www.abheritage.ca/telephone/era/agt.html
  3. ↑ CNA exchange list for area +1-403
  4. ↑ "Telecom Decision CRTC 2007-42". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. 2007-06-14. Archived from the original on December 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
  5. ↑ "New dialing to come in Alberta". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. 2007-06-14. Archived from the original on 18 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
Alberta area codes: 403, 587, 780, 825
North: 780/587
West: 250/778/236 403 (overlaid with 587 and 825) East: 306/639
South: 406
British Columbia area codes: 236, 250, 604, 778
Saskatchewan area codes: 306, 639
Montana area codes: 406

Coordinates: 50°17′53″N 112°38′20″W / 50.298°N 112.639°W / 50.298; -112.639

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