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Area codes 514, 438, and 263

April 05, 2024

Area codes 514, 438, and 263 are telephone area codes of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for Montreal and most of its on-island suburbs, specifically the Island of Montreal and Île Perrot in the Canadian province of Quebec.

Montreal

Area code 514 was one of the original North American area codes assigned by AT&T in 1947. The original numbering plan area (NPA) was split twice: in 1957 to create area code 819 and in 1998 to create area code 450. In 2006, the entire remaining 514 area was assigned a second area code, 438, in an overlay plan that made ten-digit dialing mandatory in the Montreal area. Area code 263 was added to the overlay in October 2022.

The incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) in the service area is Bell Canada. The major competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) are Vidéotron, Telus, and Rogers.

History edit

 
Bell exchange, Montreal, late 1890s

When Montreal's local calls were handled manually by operators, the caller requested the destination by name, before the first (four-digit) local telephone numbers were assigned in July 1881. In 1898, exchange names Main, Westmount, Uptown, and East, were added before the number. The initial rotary dial exchange, Lancaster, was deployed on April 25, 1925.[1][failed verification] Subscribers dialled two letters of an exchange name and four digits (2L+4N) and so "Lancaster 1234" was dialled as LA-1234 (52-1234).[2]

 
Evolution of area codes in Ontario and southwestern Quebec

The initial area codes were created in 1947 as routing codes for operator-assisted calls. Quebec and Ontario were the only provinces that received multiple area codes. Quebec was split between area codes 514 and 418. Area code 514 was originally assigned to the entire western half of Quebec from the Canada–US border to the Hudson Strait. The area nominally included several remote areas in the far northern portion of the province that at the time did not have telephone service. When the Bell System implemented direct distance dialing (DDD) for content-wide service using a seven-digit local telephone number, prefixed by a three-digit area code, Montreal and Toronto, the largest Canadian cities, still used six-digit (2L-4N) numbering plans. Between 1951 and 1958, telephone numbers were lengthened by adding one digit (2L-5N) to be compatible.[3] Numbering plan area code 514 was split in 1957 to create area code 819 for most of western Quebec, from Estrie (Sherbrooke) to the Ontario border, with the unserved far northern portion nominally added to 418 (and later moved to 819). Area code 514 was reduced to the region surrounding Montreal.

That configuration remained unchanged for 41 years. In 1998, the off-island suburbs (Laval, Montérégie, etc.) received area code 450, which now completely surrounds 514. That left 514 as the Island of Montreal and a few surrounding smaller islands, which makes it one of the six pairs of doughnut area codes in the numbering plan and one of two in Canada, the other being Toronto's area code 416.

The 1998 split was intended as a long-term solution to a shortage of available numbers in Canada's second-largest toll-free calling zone. However, within less than a decade, 514 was close to exhaustion because of the proliferation of computer, pager, and cell phone technologies. The problem was exacerbated by Canada's inefficient system of number allocation. Unlike the United States, Canada does not use number pooling as a relief measure. Every competing carrier is assigned blocks of 10,000 telephone numbers, which correspond to a single central office prefix, in every rate centre in which it plans to offer service. Once a telephone number is allocated to a carrier and rate centre, it cannot be reused elsewhere, even when a rate centre has more than enough numbers to serve it. That resulted in thousands of wasted telephone numbers. Many larger cities have multiple rate centres, which have never been amalgamated. Montreal is an exception since it is Canada's second-largest rate centre.

The number allocation problem was not as severe in Montreal as in other areas of Canada since numbers tend to be used up fairly quickly. However, numbers from the suburban areas to Montreal could not be reassigned, and it became apparent that the area needed another area code. On November 4, 2006, numbering plan area 514 was overlaid with area code 438, which required ten-digit dialing for all subscribers in the Montreal area, even for local calls. By then, overlays had become the preferred relief measure in Canada, as they affect existing subscribers the least and provide a workaround for the number allocation problem. No area codes have been split in Canada since 1999.

The number allocation problem is still unaddressed, but under current projections, Montreal will not need another area code until 2023.[4] Despite Montreal's continued growth, 514/438 is nowhere near exhaustion.

Area code 438 was considered for overlaying 450 as well, but a later decision determined instead that 579 would be the overlay code.[5]

In February 2017, area code 263 was reserved as the third area code in the region, and was placed in service on October 22, 2022.[6]

Service area edit

A few western Montreal neighbourhoods were never combined into the main Montreal rate centre and therefore have a reduced subset of the Montreal local calling area.

References edit

  1. ^ "BELL-8511-1 | A Bell representative demonstrates dial service to Toronto firemen, ON, 1924". McCord Museum. from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  2. ^ “Pontiac-5000 – Our Disconnected Past” December 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, The English Corner – by R. Ghandhi, page 56, The Suburban – October 21, 2009
  3. ^ "Montreal telephone exchange geography".
  4. ^ (PDF). North American Numbering Plan Administrator. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  5. ^ . Newswire Canada. Ottawa-Gatineau. Cision. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "Telecom Decision CRTC 2017-38". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. February 3, 2017.

External links edit

  • CNA exchange list for area +1-438
  • CNA exchange list for area +1-514
  • Official planning letter on NANPA's website.
  • Area Code Map of Canada

45°30′N 73°40′W / 45.500°N 73.667°W / 45.500; -73.667

April 05, 2024
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Area codes 514 438 and 263 are telephone area codes of the North American Numbering Plan NANP for Montreal and most of its on island suburbs specifically the Island of Montreal and Ile Perrot in the Canadian province of Quebec MontrealArea code 514 was one of the original North American area codes assigned by AT amp T in 1947 The original numbering plan area NPA was split twice in 1957 to create area code 819 and in 1998 to create area code 450 In 2006 the entire remaining 514 area was assigned a second area code 438 in an overlay plan that made ten digit dialing mandatory in the Montreal area Area code 263 was added to the overlay in October 2022 The incumbent local exchange carrier ILEC in the service area is Bell Canada The major competitive local exchange carriers CLECs are Videotron Telus and Rogers Contents 1 History 2 Service area 3 References 4 External linksHistory edit nbsp Bell exchange Montreal late 1890sWhen Montreal s local calls were handled manually by operators the caller requested the destination by name before the first four digit local telephone numbers were assigned in July 1881 In 1898 exchange names Main Westmount Uptown and East were added before the number The initial rotary dial exchange Lancaster was deployed on April 25 1925 1 failed verification Subscribers dialled two letters of an exchange name and four digits 2L 4N and so Lancaster 1234 was dialled as LA 1234 52 1234 2 nbsp Evolution of area codes in Ontario and southwestern QuebecThe initial area codes were created in 1947 as routing codes for operator assisted calls Quebec and Ontario were the only provinces that received multiple area codes Quebec was split between area codes 514 and 418 Area code 514 was originally assigned to the entire western half of Quebec from the Canada US border to the Hudson Strait The area nominally included several remote areas in the far northern portion of the province that at the time did not have telephone service When the Bell System implemented direct distance dialing DDD for content wide service using a seven digit local telephone number prefixed by a three digit area code Montreal and Toronto the largest Canadian cities still used six digit 2L 4N numbering plans Between 1951 and 1958 telephone numbers were lengthened by adding one digit 2L 5N to be compatible 3 Numbering plan area code 514 was split in 1957 to create area code 819 for most of western Quebec from Estrie Sherbrooke to the Ontario border with the unserved far northern portion nominally added to 418 and later moved to 819 Area code 514 was reduced to the region surrounding Montreal That configuration remained unchanged for 41 years In 1998 the off island suburbs Laval Monteregie etc received area code 450 which now completely surrounds 514 That left 514 as the Island of Montreal and a few surrounding smaller islands which makes it one of the six pairs of doughnut area codes in the numbering plan and one of two in Canada the other being Toronto s area code 416 The 1998 split was intended as a long term solution to a shortage of available numbers in Canada s second largest toll free calling zone However within less than a decade 514 was close to exhaustion because of the proliferation of computer pager and cell phone technologies The problem was exacerbated by Canada s inefficient system of number allocation Unlike the United States Canada does not use number pooling as a relief measure Every competing carrier is assigned blocks of 10 000 telephone numbers which correspond to a single central office prefix in every rate centre in which it plans to offer service Once a telephone number is allocated to a carrier and rate centre it cannot be reused elsewhere even when a rate centre has more than enough numbers to serve it That resulted in thousands of wasted telephone numbers Many larger cities have multiple rate centres which have never been amalgamated Montreal is an exception since it is Canada s second largest rate centre The number allocation problem was not as severe in Montreal as in other areas of Canada since numbers tend to be used up fairly quickly However numbers from the suburban areas to Montreal could not be reassigned and it became apparent that the area needed another area code On November 4 2006 numbering plan area 514 was overlaid with area code 438 which required ten digit dialing for all subscribers in the Montreal area even for local calls By then overlays had become the preferred relief measure in Canada as they affect existing subscribers the least and provide a workaround for the number allocation problem No area codes have been split in Canada since 1999 The number allocation problem is still unaddressed but under current projections Montreal will not need another area code until 2023 4 Despite Montreal s continued growth 514 438 is nowhere near exhaustion Area code 438 was considered for overlaying 450 as well but a later decision determined instead that 579 would be the overlay code 5 In February 2017 area code 263 was reserved as the third area code in the region and was placed in service on October 22 2022 6 Service area editCote Saint Luc Hampstead L Ile Dorval Montreal Montreal Est Montreal West Mount Royal Westmount most of 514 438 except as listed below Dollard des Ormeaux 514 309 421 472 491 533 542 545 613 615 676 683 684 685 752 763 822 438 894 Dorval 514 300 307 403 420 422 469 471 492 532 538 552 556 600 631 633 634 636 637 639 780 828 438 264 600 819 891 L Ile Perrot Notre Dame de l Ile Perrot Pincourt Terrasse Vaudreuil 514 320 425 446 453 477 478 536 539 612 646 901 902 438 257 638 700 890 Baie d Urfe Beaconsfield Kirkland Pointe Claire Sainte Anne de Bellevue Senneville 514 319 426 427 428 457 459 500 505 534 541 558 630 671 674 693 694 695 697 782 783 900 438 265 500 538 893A few western Montreal neighbourhoods were never combined into the main Montreal rate centre and therefore have a reduced subset of the Montreal local calling area Ile Bizard Pierrefonds Roxboro Sainte Genevieve 514 305 308 479 535 547 551 565 620 624 626 675 696 700 784 785 438 818 895 Lachine see DorvalReferences edit BELL 8511 1 A Bell representative demonstrates dial service to Toronto firemen ON 1924 McCord Museum Archived from the original on August 18 2017 Retrieved February 9 2022 Pontiac 5000 Our Disconnected Past Archived December 15 2014 at the Wayback Machine The English Corner by R Ghandhi page 56 The Suburban October 21 2009 Montreal telephone exchange geography 2019 1 NRUF and NPA Exhaust Analysis PDF North American Numbering Plan Administrator Archived from the original PDF on June 2 2019 Retrieved February 9 2022 CRTC introduces a new area code for the greater Montreal region in 2010 Newswire Canada Ottawa Gatineau Cision Archived from the original on August 2 2017 Retrieved February 9 2022 Telecom Decision CRTC 2017 38 Canadian Radio television and Telecommunications Commission February 3 2017 External links editCNA exchange list for area 1 438 CNA exchange list for area 1 514 Official planning letter on NANPA s website Area Code Map of CanadaQuebec area codes 367 418 581 263 438 514 354 450 579 468 819 873 North 354 450 579West 354 450 579 263 438 514 East 354 450 579South 354 450 57945 30 N 73 40 W 45 500 N 73 667 W 45 500 73 667 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Area codes 514 438 and 263 amp oldid 1173765682, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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