10-Digit Calls In Alabama's 256 Area Code To Begin Soon

Wondered how long it was going to be before this started. No big deal...I plug in 10 digits to the mobile anyway.

I really think this is all going to be very confusing for everyone involved.

what will the older people do? do you have someone to help them with there phone calls.?just need to be thought about alittle longer.alot of people have troble now with the 7 numbers.

well, that sucks!

Screw it, lets just go all the way to 20 digit phone numbers! That way we will be ahead of the curve for the next 100 years. Alabama lead the way yeehaa!

It won't be mandatory till next year -- I think the initial period is to help clear up confusion. It's not mandatory till July 2010 -- until then, they'll get a message that says something like 'next July, you'll have to dial 10 digits for this call to connect' but will let them through in the meantime.

Make sense?

This may be a real hardship on some of the elderly.
It will be difficult for some with memory problems to understand this new way of doing things.

this will take longer and sound like we are going backward instead if forward, in the past century to me

Just because they are elderly doesn't mean they are stupid. Give them some credit. Lots of elderly people have cell phones and even use text messaging.

I think it is a little arrogant to assume that just because someone is older it means that they don't know how to use a phone.

I think dialing the area code for your next door neighbor is stupid.

10 digit dialing? I thought we were in the 21st century not the 1700's. This is the dumbest thing I have heard. I dont even dial 10 digits on my cell phone. Children and elderly. What about them? Someone needs to step up and go to bat and tell whoever done this IT IS STUPID!!!

Why not make the number shorter than longer? Doesn't make any sense...like lots of other things.

There will, no doubt, be situations where elderly persons will be confused and unable to reach their son or daughter just down the street by dialing the same number that they have dialed for the past 30 years, I’m sure most will adjust very nicely. At least they won’t have to dial the area code for 911, which is probably what they will dial when they can’t reach their son or daughter just down the street.

Doesn't give much information as to actually how to dial the number. Do you dial 1-256-(the number)- then 938? Or dial 1-938-256-(the number)? More information please!

OMG, are you people serious?!? It's not a big deal.. We're out of phone numbers! Therefore, you will always have to dial the area code because now we'll have two! What about the elderly you ask? Well, what about the elderly in Atlanta that have to do it? They learn to adapt.. But I will agree that they should have just divided it up and gave the Huntsville Metro its own area code rather than an overlay.

To Susan W. You only have to dial 10 numbers adding the 1 will cause it to have 11.

Gripe, gripe, gripe. What is the problem? Ten digits, five digits, four digits, or three digits? The first number I had was 559, then 3559. I managed way back then and will do so now. Quit complaining about the little things.

The point of this 10-digit dialing is that so no one with a 256 area code will have to change their number.

Would you want to have to go through the trouble of changing your number?

What about your business? Would you want to have to go through the trouble of changing all your letterhead, business cards, stationery, etc?

It's expensive.

The point of the overlay, and the 10-digit dialing, is so everyone with a 256-XXX-XXXX number can keep it.

Atlanta has had 10-digit dialing for years, so has Jackson, Mississippi, and Dallas too -- and many other cities.

My Geez! We were dialing 10 digit numbers years ago in Florida when I moved up in '85. If you are currently using a cell phone you should have the 10 digits programmed in already because if you dial outside of the area code which is your home area your call will be connected to someone else in another area code where you are traveling. Also, give the elderly a little credit they have been using the phone system a LOT longer than the younger people. Most of the elderly KNOW the area codes they are in and know to write things down for help when they need it.

Guess we should just face the facts there are more people here now than there were a few years ago, not to mention most everyone has at least 2 or more numbers with their homes now so the numbers available have been used up. You stop to think about all the kids using cells now that wasn't just a few years ago as well as other homes which have more than one number for their home.

Just stop the gripping!

Bring back party lines!