I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER!

      FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2023

         I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER!

     November 10th is "Area Code Day." It

was November 10th., 1951 where the use of

area codes for telephone exchanges became

the norm. AT&T actually came up with the

area code idea in 1947. I, of course, am old

enough to remember when you made a call

by picking up your telephone and waiting

for the operator to say "Number please."

You would give her the number you wanted 

to call and she would connect you. Of course

most of the operators gave way to rotary and,

later, push button dial telephones which allowed

the caller to reach his or her own party. But as

more and more people needed telephones the

telephone company (now companies) needed

more telephone numbers. That 2 or 4 digit 

number you use to call suddenly became a

7 digit number. Then came still more telephones

are area codes. You've got to use them to make

a call these days even with a cell phone. So now

it's a 10 digit call and more, or course, if you're

calling another country. And you can expect

still more as the number of telephones continues

to grow. Folks in the Erie and State College areas

of Pennsylvania just had another area code added

to one already in use in those parts.  By the way,

if you happen to catch anyone using the area code

555 you can be pretty sure that person iis an actor!

The 555 area code is reserved for fictional use. You

know, television and the movies! And so we

observe if not celebrate Area Code Day. Hope

you've got all the right numbers and that all your

NEWS is good!