What regions are affected by 10-digit local dialling?
All local calls from anywhere in Alberta and British Columbia will require 10 digit dialling. 10-digit dialling has been in place in B.C.'s Lower Mainland for several years, but is new to the rest of that province and all of Alberta.

What will happen if residents and businesses dial a 7-digit number beginning June 23-27, 2008?
They will hear a recorded message advising them to dial 10-digits the next time they make a call, then their call will be put through. Beginning September 8 - 11, 2008, customers who dial 7 digits will hear a recorded message advising them to hang up and dial 10 digits (no 7 digit dialled calls will be processed). Both the recorded message in June and full 10-digit dialling in September are being phased in across the telecommunications networks in both provinces over the course of a week.

When should residents and businesses start including the area code in local calls?
Including the area code for local calls will be mandatory as of September 8 - 12, 2008, but you should begin programming your various communications systems and equipment right away. Fax and other data transmission may be disrupted by the announcement reminding you to include the area code for local calls starting on June 23, 2008.

Why must 10-digit dialling be used for local calls?
This dialing method will pave the way for the introduction of new area codes that will create millions of new numbers. 10-digit dialling is becoming mandatory for local communications because it allows the same number to exist in both current and new area codes.

Will local calling areas remain the same?
Yes. 10-digit dialling does not affect local calling areas in any way. The geographic boundaries of your local calling area have not changed in any way.

How will 10-digit dialling affect communications equipment?
Some equipment (telephone and voicemail systems, alarm systems, dial-up Internet connections, etc.), functions (auto-dialling, speed dialling or call forwarding) and telephone-activated databases must be reprogrammed to accommodate 10-digit dialling. For further information on these changes, a guide is available here.

When should businesses and residents start reprogramming their communications equipment?
You should begin programming your various communications systems and equipment right away. Including the area code for local calls will be mandatory as of September 8 - 12, 2008.

Who will be responsible for costs incurred (if any) for updating communications equipment?
TELUS clients are responsible for bringing their own devices up to date with 10-digit dialling. 

How should a 10-digit telephone number be entered?
You should enter out 10-digit telephone numbers as follows: e.g. 778-123-4567

What are the new area codes?
In British Columbia, area code 778 will be extended from the Lower Mainland to cover the rest of the province. In Alberta, a new area code, 587, will be extended over the entire province.

Will all new numbers after this September 8 - 12, 2008 include the new area code?
No. Numbers will continue to be assigned with area code 250, 403 and 780 as long as they are available in your local area.

Will there soon be a shortage of numbers in other area codes?
Many area codes will reach capacity over the coming years. Soon, 10-digit local dialling will be standard across North America.