Extended Local Calling Area Confusion (Score 1)

There are many cases were the area code or actual digits dialed do not determine if the call is long distance or not.

A common case is where a LEC (*Bell) or large established CLEC (GTE) has an extended local calling area agreement with small rural cariers. The confusion arises when calls are placed onto the networks of CLECs in large urban areas who do not have agreements with rural carriers. The rural carriers will charge their users long distance or not depending on who owns the called number.

The real issue that people seem to have is not that an additional 3 digits is hard to remember, but that people are used to dialling 11 digits (starting with 1) for long distance.

Something better might be a notification tone to users letting them know when they have dialled a number that is non-local and billable. Those who unaware they were about to dial a toll call could then disconnect.

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