How does this change affect individuals?
For individuals, the need to dial 10 digits locally is just annoying. The area's normal area code is 570, but a 272 area code is being overlayed in the area. Even next door neighbors will need to dial all 10 numbers to reach each other. Plus, residents need to know which area code the other person falls under. The trouble of this system speaks for itself, and residents must get used to this change.
Luckily, the average person won't have much trouble changing over their numbers in their smartphones and telephone books. Most of the people they know are using the 570 area code, and only new customers are affected by the 272 addition. The common consensus is that dialing 10 numbers for a local call is simply a hassle. Either way, residents have no say in the matter and need to change their dialing habits thanks to this change.
How does the situation affect local businesses?
However, things are much more complicated for businesses. Most businesses don't keep record of their customers' area code since it's usually 570. The systematic change means that each business must meticulously enter in the area codes for their customers and clients. In reality, such a modification can take weeks or even months. Even larger companies are affected by this change with no easy solution available. A company that doesn't switch its records quickly will run into trouble.
Also, companies that print their phone numbers on promotional items and business cards face a major issue. All of these items that lack the proper area code need to be reprinted or remade. Doing so can cost a lot of money, depending upon the volume of items. For that reason, plenty of companies are disgruntled about the change. The local government has been reminding residents for quite some time now, though.
A Timetable for the Overlay
Currently, most companies are predicting a timetable of a few months to fully adjust to the changes. The change itself will take affect on September 21. Not all companies are finished updating their phone systems and records, though. Even the police department is still working hard to ensure that very few problems arise from the change. For now, a few months seems like a decent estimate.
Knowledge is power when it comes to changes like this, though. Therefore, the more people that know about the overlay, the more successful the switch will be. If few people know about the modification, then the timetable can increase to many more months. At least for now it seems like local companies are doing their job to inform customers and clients alike of the area code overlay.
Without a doubt, plenty of other problems will arise due to 10 digit dialing. More areas around the country are going to face such issues in the future. A finite amount of unique numbers exist in a given area. Of course, this means that numbers start to run low, and regions must respond to such changes. 10 digit dialing is a simple solution that causes plenty of ramifications that people need to adapt to quickly.
