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Detroit is running low on phone numbers


bikeman564™

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3 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

An addition of a new are code is being proposed to take affect in ≈2025. Proposed area code is 679

They really could do what we've had to do in the past with company provided "hotspots" which is "shut down any that show no use in a certain period of time".  IOW, I bet there are thousands and thousands of VOIP and even landline accounts that are never used by anyone, but the numbers are still "assigned".  Folks have an OOMA or Magic Jack or Comcast/Verizon VOIP or some google number, and it sits completely unused except as a receiver of SPAM calls.  Years ago, our cheap "backup" VOIP would get regular calls that would go straight to VM. I would periodically listen to and delete the pile of VMs - none were "real" except for a few from my FiL who would call my wife's cell, then my cell, and then the VOIP number if he wanted to discuss something important.

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11 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

They really could do what we've had to do in the past with company provided "hotspots" which is "shut down any that show no use in a certain period of time".  IOW, I bet there are thousands and thousands of VOIP and even landline accounts that are never used by anyone, but the numbers are still "assigned".  Folks have an OOMA or Magic Jack or Comcast/Verizon VOIP or some google number, and it sits completely unused except as a receiver of SPAM calls.  Years ago, our cheap "backup" VOIP would get regular calls that would go straight to VM. I would periodically listen to and delete the pile of VMs - none were "real" except for a few from my FiL who would call my wife's cell, then my cell, and then the VOIP number if he wanted to discuss something important.

I was thinking how could they run oot based on some of what you said:scratchhead: But I was thinking aboot our new phone system at work. My company had one main number, but several other lines (so multiple people can call out/in). Then we had extensions. This is still true, but now everyone also has their own direct number which depletes the available numbers. We're not in the Detroit area code but still. I'm thinking if more companies do this, it makes sense why there is a shortage.

When I was a kid, Michigan had 4 area codes. The U.P. had one (still does I think), and the L.P. had 3. The entire left side of the L.P. was 616, and the east side was 517. With the metro Detroit area being 313. No idea how many we have now:frantics:

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7 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

I was thinking how could they run oot based on some of what you said:scratchhead: But I was thinking aboot our new phone system at work. My company had one main number, but several other lines (so multiple people can call out/in). Then we had extensions. This is still true, but now everyone also has their own direct number which depletes the available numbers. We're not in the Detroit area code but still. I'm thinking if more companies do this, it makes sense why there is a shortage.

When I was a kid, Michigan had 4 area codes. The U.P. had one (still does I think), and the L.P. had 3. The entire left side of the L.P. was 616, and the east side was 517. With the metro Detroit area being 313. No idea how many we have now:frantics:

Yep - I see this stuff too. When I was a kid, getting a "second line" - usually for the kids, but then for dial up internet - was a big thing.  Now, though, if you have two adults, and two kids, you have FOUR numbers and then possibly that Verizon/Comcast/Cox VOIP one.  So, from one (or two) to five or more.  That adds up across a city & suburbs.

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4 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Yep - I see this stuff too. When I was a kid, getting a "second line" - usually for the kids, but then for dial up internet - was a big thing.  Now, though, if you have two adults, and two kids, you have FOUR numbers and then possibly that Verizon/Comcast/Cox VOIP one.  So, from one (or two) to five or more.  That adds up across a city & suburbs.

I didn't have any friends w/ their own line, but now w/ cell phones every household has multiple lines.  People used to add a second line for business purposes. We used to work w/ a contract engineer and he worked from home. So he had second line for that.

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2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

So, FL, NC, & TN are running low, not Detroit, eh?

Area codes don't mean what they used to. If you move, there is no need to get a local number. I know people w/ out of state area codes that never changed their number. That's a PITA. If I moved to another state, I'd keep my number.

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Southern Illinois is also running low on phone numbers. They are going to overlay a new area code for new phone numbers over the current 618 area code. Therefore, the same physical area will have two area codes. Evidently, it's simpler than dividing up the current area code and giving half of it a new one.

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8 minutes ago, JerrySTL said:

Southern Illinois is also running low on phone numbers. They are going to overlay a new area code for new phone numbers over the current 618 area code. Therefore, the same physical area will have two area codes. Evidently, it's simpler than dividing up the current area code and giving half of it a new one.

We were 703 when I moved here, and my cell phone number from late 90s is 703, but now I think you get 571 for new lines.  Like Bikeman, I'll keep my number no matter where in the US I move.

 Not sure what happens if I moved abroad - if I could move to a super cheap US plan (keep the number) and use the "default to network/wifi for calls" option????  Add a local eSim, set as main line, but still have the US number as the secondary line?  That way, when in the US, use the local number, but when away, the local US number would still be usable due to being on wifi?  

Never thought about it, but folks must be doing something like this???

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