[UPDATE: I almost forgot – there’s going to be a 628 test number to call:
“A test number has been established to enable business customers to verify that their equipment can complete calls to the new area code. The test number, (628) 628-1628, will be available beginning Dec. 21 and will be in operation through April 21, 2015.”]
Gentle Reader, do you remember when the East Bay used the 415 area code? Well, I do. The switchover to the nickel-and-dime occurred back in 1991. And in a small way, it divided the East Bay from the West Bay, just how Elaine Benes felt isolated from 212 Manhattan by the 646 area code overlay back in the day.
Well, get ready for some more changes, ’cause the new 628 overlay means that you’ll be dialing the 415 area code even from the 415 – this is called ten-digit dialing.
Anyway, here’s the news – ten-digit dialing has arrived already. By that, I mean that I can no longer dial my 415 land line with my T-Mobile 415 cell phone without first punching in the area code. This change occurred a few weeks back. Welcome to The Future. [But apparently, seven digit dialing is still working for some or most of the rest of San Francisco - see the Comments section. They'll be phasing things in, optionally at first, and then mandatorily.]
Of course we could have handled things differently, but the small-minded people of our Small Business Commission wanted to do things this way, because, you know, business!
Let’s see, what else? Oh, yeah, for some reason, some people in SF have 650 area codes, like down in Ingleside Heights:
So, SF will soon have three area codes for just 46-something square miles. What a country!*
Anyway, enjoy:
In closing:
“No, it’s just like 212 except they multiplied every number by 3… and added 1 to the middle number.”
*In Soviet Russia, phone dial you!