Alberta is getting a new area code to keep up with the explosive growth in phones and mobile devices in the province.
The new area code, 825, will come into effect April 9. Just like the 587 area code, the new area code will apply to the entire province.
Liz Sauvé, Telus spokesperson, said they are trying to stay a step ahead of demand by bringing the new area code.
“If you consider the fact that a lot of families these days have half-a-dozen or more phone numbers in their names, that’s if you’re counting home phones, personal cell phones, some people have personal cell phones and work cell phones,” she said.
She said the Canadian Numbering Administrator is working to introduce the new area code with the Western telecommunications Alliance, a partnership between major telecommunication service providers.
“It’s going to be likely a slow roll out across the province, just because the new codes will start to be given out if people are requesting it or, given service providers, if the other numbers have all been used up,” she said.
She said people can still request 403, 587 or 780 area codes and will receive them if they are available.
She said there are still phone numbers available with the existing codes and service providers will continue to give out numbers with the old area codes, as supply allows.
“A customer of one provider living in southern Alberta may go to get a phone number and learn that there are a lot of existing area codes available for them, whereas for a different service provider depending on what they have available for them in their pool of numbers to pull from they might be running lower quicker and may be handing out that new area code,” she said.
The move does not affect three-digit services such as 911, 411 or 311.
People will not need to change their existing phone numbers and residential customers do not need to make any changes to their equipment. Businesses using the new 825 area code that restrict long-distance phone calls will need to reprogram their equipment to accept it as a local area code.
