A new area code is coming to P.E.I. and Nova Scotia, but not everyone is excited
Some Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia residents aren't exactly thrilled about the region getting a new area code, even though it doesn't mean changing their own phone numbers.
Some Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia residents aren't thrilled about the region getting a new area code, even though it doesn't mean changing their own phone numbers.
Area code 851 will roll out across both provinces on May 27, 2028, joining 902 and 782.
For some people, it's simply the hassle of getting used to something new.
Andrew Leard, from Dartmouth, N.S., said he's had a 902 number probably since middle school and likes the familiarity of it.
"Just be more of an inconvenience thing, to be honest. I wouldn't really care what my phone number looks like, but just more inconvenience to get new contacts and stuff like that," he said at the Royalty Crossing mall in Charlottetown.
"I think the 902 looks cool, but it's not very important to me. 851's ugly."
Others worry a new code could look suspicious.
"I think like when it pops up, you won't want to answer because… you'll think it's like a scam or something," said Morgan Smith from Masstown, N.S., adding people have recognized 902 numbers for so long.
For Catherine Shelton, it's more about familiarity than the numbers themselves. She's had a 902 number for about a decade and said she's grown attached to it.
"I think it just makes sense just to keep the standard 902," she said. "The other one just kind of like doesn't sound right to me."
Why a new area code is needed
The reason for the new area code is that the region is running out of phone numbers in the area code 782, which was introduced in 2014, said David Comrie, a numbering resource administrator with the Canadian Numbering Administrator.
He noted the change won't affect how people make calls.
"Anyone you're making local calls to now, whether their area code is 782, 902 or in the future 851, if it's local now, it'll continue to be local," he said.
Why P.E.I. can't get its own area code
Some Islanders have wondered why P.E.I. can't have its own area code, rather than sharing with Nova Scotia. Comrie said that would actually be more disruptive.
"If we were to give one or the other their own area code, it would actually be a significant network change to half of the people," he said.
That's because it would require what's called an area code split, where one part of a region keeps the old area code and the other switches to a new one.
Comrie pointed to the Toronto area as an example. In 1993, the original 416 area code was split, with communities outside the city switching to 905, meaning everyone there had to change their phone numbers.
"That's a significant cost to all those businesses that are suddenly having to change their phone numbers," he said.
Comrie said keeping P.E.I. and Nova Scotia under the same group of area codes makes better use of the limited number of area codes available across North America.
Demand for numbers growing
He added that even though landline numbers go back into circulation when people cancel them, demand for new numbers keeps growing because people have more devices than they used to.
"A long time ago, we only had really one phone number per household. Now… if everyone's got their own cellphone, they might have five numbers," said Comrie.
He noted there are about 800 possible area codes in the North American system, and regulators are trying to conserve them.
Current estimates suggest those codes could be exhausted around 2055, Comrie said.
"Then the solution would be either we stop using phone numbers, or we start adding additional digits, which is again an overhaul of the whole system, and would cause significant complications," he said.
