780
Edmonton is one of those cities large enough to be called the northernmost city in North America with a population over one million, but not quite large enough for ten digit dialing. Yep, the old 780 is good enough for every man, woman, and cow in the place, at least for a few more years.
They're tricky, however, these Edmontonians.
Because those of us from cities which do have ten digit dialing, and typically assume the same when travelling to other fairly large cities, try the ten digit version of numbers first, and, what do you know? It works.
In fact, all the 780 plus other numbers versions of just about everything work just long enough to lull you into a satisfied sense of complacency until the first time you need to dial the same number twice in a row. And then the one time the ten digit version of a number is virtually guaranteed to work (because you just finished dialing into the same conference bridge an hour before, or are making the same call in a row on a pre-paid long distance card), that is the time it decides to give you the boot.
Edmontonians won't tell you this.
In fact, they're very good at staring at you with a perfectly stone face while you try the 780 number over and over and over again, while you're thinking surely you must have fat fingered one of the digits on the previous attempt, and just one more time . . . you'll get it . . . no, one more try now. . . .
The advantage of being surrounded by phone company employees, once you finally figure out what's going on, is the privilege of being able to ask, "Why is it that the switches here sometimes support ten digit dialing and sometimes not?"
Privilege or no, the answer is the same.
"I don't know. Why would I have ever tried it?"
They're tricky, however, these Edmontonians.
Because those of us from cities which do have ten digit dialing, and typically assume the same when travelling to other fairly large cities, try the ten digit version of numbers first, and, what do you know? It works.
In fact, all the 780 plus other numbers versions of just about everything work just long enough to lull you into a satisfied sense of complacency until the first time you need to dial the same number twice in a row. And then the one time the ten digit version of a number is virtually guaranteed to work (because you just finished dialing into the same conference bridge an hour before, or are making the same call in a row on a pre-paid long distance card), that is the time it decides to give you the boot.
Edmontonians won't tell you this.
In fact, they're very good at staring at you with a perfectly stone face while you try the 780 number over and over and over again, while you're thinking surely you must have fat fingered one of the digits on the previous attempt, and just one more time . . . you'll get it . . . no, one more try now. . . .
The advantage of being surrounded by phone company employees, once you finally figure out what's going on, is the privilege of being able to ask, "Why is it that the switches here sometimes support ten digit dialing and sometimes not?"
Privilege or no, the answer is the same.
"I don't know. Why would I have ever tried it?"