MONTRÉAL, March 22, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Starting on October 22, 2022, three additional area codes will be introduced in Québec. The new 263 area code will be introduced in Montréal, currently served by the area codes 514 and 438 , the new 354 code will be added in the regions currently served by area codes 450 and 579 in the surrounding area of Montréal and the 468 code will be assigned to the regions covered by the area codes 819 and 873. The introduction of these new area codes are the result of decisions (514/438; 450/579; 819/873) by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and are intended to meet the continuously growing demand for new telephone numbers.
"The introduction of a new area code creates millions of additional telephone numbers without affecting the existing numbers," said Kelly T. Walsh, Program Manager of the Canadian Numbering Administrator. "The new area codes will be added where the current area codes are already in use in the affected regions in Québec."
Once the new area codes 263, 354 and 468 are introduced on October 22, 2022, residents and businesses requesting a new phone number may receive one with the new area code.
The introduction of a new area code in a region does not affect the geographic boundaries for local calling areas or the way long distance calls are dialed. Special numbers such as 211, 311, 411, 611 and 911 will not be affected and will still be dialed using only three digits.
Background information
The 514 area code was introduced in 1947 and the 819 area code was created in 1957. Over the years, increasing demand for telephone numbers – particularly for wireless services – created a need for additional numbers to serve customers in the province. In response to this increasing demand, the area code 450 was introduced in 1998 to serve the regions in the surrounding of Montréal. In 2006, the new 438 area code was added to the Montréal 514 region, the 579 area code was added in 2010 in the regions covered by area code 450 and the area code 873 was introduced in 2012 to serve the regions covered by the area code 819.
The Telecommunications Alliance
Canada's major communications service providers have joined forces to develop a communications campaign informing the public about the introduction of new area codes in certain calling areas. For more information about new area codes in Canada, please visit newareacodes.ca.
SOURCE Telecommunications Alliance
Lucie Papineau Pugliese, [email protected], 514 236-3164
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