At 08:04 PM 11/25/02 -0600, you wrote:
>    "I wonder how many more phone numbers they'd get if
>     they dropped the archaic geographic assignment of
>     prefixes. Maybe they already have with the latest
>     new area codes that are popping up all over."
>
>According to:
>
>http://docs.nanpa.com/cgi-bin/npa_reports/nanpa?function=list_npa_non_geo
>
>there are only 13 "Non-geographic NPA's in service" as of 11/22/2002
>
>456 Inbound International
>500 Personal Communication Service
>600 Canadian Services
>700 Interexchange Carrier Services
>710 US Government
>800 Toll-Free
>866 Toll-Free
>877 Toll-Free
>880 Paid Toll-Free Service
>881 Paid Toll-Free Service
>882 Paid Toll-Free Service
>888 Toll-Free
>900 Premium Services

So, the NPA/NXX *pair* (what we'd loosely call the AREA CODE and the
PREFIX) is completely geographic at the present time?

It gets a bit more abstract with cell phone numbers I guess.

>There have been several "Number Portability" (one person - one
>phone line regardless of physical location) deadlines that
>have been repeatedly 'moved out' by the FCC at the request of
>the 'carriers' ... one day, maybe, this will become a reality ...

It would be nice. It's great to be able to take calls in the
interior of China (near Tibet and Burma) on the same cell phone that
works in Toronto and Phoenix (better coverage than in Rural Arizona,
actually!).  Some day calls ANYWHERE will have no per-minute
charges, I hope.

Best regards,

Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..."            "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

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