The Low Down on Phone Number Prefixes
Though we all use telephones every day – often both landlines and cell phones – how the phone numbers we regularly dial work remains somewhat of a mystery to the majority of us.
Often, the word “prefix” is mentioned in discussions about an assigned phone number, and not everybody knows exactly to what that term refers. As you know, in North America, telephone numbers are 10 digits long, with a three digit area code, and seven digits that follow. Those seven digits are broken down into a three digit prefix, and a four digit line number.
The original function of the prefix was a designation for the specific switch to which the given phone line was connected. Every phone carrier’s central office had various switches, each of which were designated using three digit numbers. Once computerized switches came along, becoming universal, the switch number designations were no longer required.
This opened up the opportunity for local number portability (LNP). Local number portability refers to the ability of a customer to move to a local area within the zone of another switch, without having to change any part of his or her telephone number. This is because the prefix no longer rigidly designates the prefix area. LNP functions as long as the customer remains within the area of the local-rate charges.
Local number portability due to the opening up of prefixes allowed a much higher level of convenience for customers moving within the same local-rate calling area. Now they could change addresses locally, and maintain the same phone number. As anybody who has ever moved knows, the fewer things that have to be changed, the better.
Of course, this did now mean that people could no longer tell specifically what area a person was from simply by looking at the phone number’s prefix. And in the case of cellular phones, an entire new world of numbers and prefixes which are unattached to a location has become a regular way of life. Now more than ever, people are dependant on phone searches and free cell phone lookup services in order to find out the address associated with a number, since it is now impossible to guess by looking at the number’s prefix.
Question…
How would you dial this phone number from America?
This is the phone number: +447031971494
Answers…
Answer by Loraine
maybe that’s a nextel number or walkie talkie phone number.
Answer by Clara G
The “44″ is an International country code (UK) You will have to dial 011447031971494
Answer by Daranick
44 is the country code (England), the rest is the phone number within that country. Usually to let the phone know you need to call outside the country you need to dial 011, then the number…so 011 44 703..etc.
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