News release

September 17, 2001

OTTAWA-HULL — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is asking for public comment on proposals that deal with the upcoming shortage of new telephone numbers in area code 519.

Area code 519 covers communities in south-western Ontario, including Brantford, Chatham, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Owen Sound and Windsor. Its supply of telephone numbers will run out sometime in the next five years.

The growing use of new technologies requiring telephone numbers, such as the Internet, fax machines, wireless telephones and pagers is one of the main reasons telephone numbers are running out in this and other area codes.

A public committee created by the CRTC has examined this issue and has made a number of recommendations on how to deal with this issue in area code 519. The CRTC is now asking for comments from the public on the committee’s recommendations:

A new area code would be "overlayed" or added to the region now served by area code 519. Telephone numbers from this new area code would be available for use by the second quarter of 2005.

Customers would be given a two-month phase-in period before the new area code is added. During the phase-in period, customers would be reminded to use 10-digit, not seven-digit dialing for local calls. During this time period, however, seven-digit dialing would still work.

After the new area code is added to the 519 area code region, anyone making a local call within area code 519, or between area code 519 and other area codes would need to dial 10 digits.

The CRTC is also seeking alternative suggestions for dealing with this issue, comments on how the proposals could impact on consumers, service providers and others as well as comments on when a new area code should be introduced.

Those interested in commenting should inform the CRTC that they wish to comment by October 1, 2001, by contacting the Secretary General by mail (CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2), fax ((819) 994-0218) or email (procedure@crtc.gc.ca).

Comments should be filed by October 15, 2001. Interested persons will have until October 29, 2001, to respond to submissions from others.

For more details about the proposals and how to file comments, see Public Notice CRTC 2001-101 available on the CRTC website at www.crtc.gc.ca.

Reference document: Public Notice CRTC 2001-101

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General Inquiries:
   Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
   Tel: (819) 997-0313, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 994-0218
   Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), eMail: info@crtc.gc.ca
   TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-2782
Media Relations:
   Denis Carmel, Tel: (819) 997-9403, eMail: denis.carmel@crtc.gc.ca

Copies of today’s documents are available through our Internet site (http://www.crtc.gc.ca) or by contacting the public examination room of any CRTC office. These documents are available in alternative format upon request.

Date Modified: 2001-09-19

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