According to my information, the 347 overlay to area code 718 was introduced 4/1/2002 and mandatory 10-digit dialing has just commenced on 2/1/03.
You might like to have a look at Linc Madison's useful website. It hasn't been updated to include the latest changes yet, but it has lists of splits and overlays, and even a map showing the original area codes of 1947:
www.lincmad.com Another useful site is the
World Telephone Numbering Guide site.
The longest numbers in the U.K. at the moment are 11 digits, including the 0 trunk prefix.
Many people are using alternate long-distance carriers with 4-digit access codes, so 15-digit dialing within the U.K. is becoming quite common. The U.S. went with the system of choosing your main LD carrier and dialing a special code only if you want to route the call another way, but here there is no such system, so if you want to use a certain carrier you have to dial the number every time.
C-H,
Not a single European area code, but the EU proposed an integrated system of area codes with a single European "country" code of 3 a few years ago.
Fortunately, the scheme was consigned to the trash heap (at least for now!) as being too complex to implement at the moment. They could have saved a lot of time and money by actually just asking any decent telephone engineer who would have told them to forget it before they even started!
I think it serves as an excellent example of why meddling bureaucrats shouldn't be let loose on technical matters they know nothing about!
www.wtng.info/wtng-reg.html#Europewide [This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 02-12-2003).]
