Today marks the one month countdown until 10 digit dialing will apply to local calls within Manitoba.  
 
Beginning July 29, if you dial a local number without the 204 prefix you'll be interrupted by a network service announcement before connecting. Then beginning October 20 that service announcement will be taken away and any calls placed without 10 digit dialing will not connect.  
 
All of this paves the way for the new 431 area code to be assigned to new numbers beginning in November.  
 
Other than having to get used to a new system, the main change for me will be making sure that my alarm dials 10 digits. How do you expect the change will effect you?  
 
More info on the change is at:  
http://dial10.ca/en-CA/204-area/default.htm  

It had to come. I do think though that they should have figured out a way to drill down a tad with where the area codes would be. Three maybe. One new one for all new growth in WPG. One the the rest of Manitoba. 204/431 would be Peg numbers. Another new one for outside the perimeter. It allows for many decades of growth.  
 
As it sits now it is now okay but that new area code will fill up pretty quick. It would just be nice to see at a glance where in Manitoba where one is calling from.  
 
 
 

Thanks for the info! I was wondering about this yesterday.  
 
I wonder why 431 is the area code ?

Adam we knew it was coming but I still don't like it.  
 
How do you know what is long-distance and what isn't? Don't know if you are dialing winnipeg or across the street.  
 
They should have followed the ontario and BC examples. I grew up in BC and they made it simple - Vancouver etc. kept the 604 area code, rest of the province shifted to new area code.  
 
Why not here? Winnpeg = 204: rest of MB the new one or vice versa.  
 
Stupid method they chose if you ask me - and only province I am aware of where you need to dial 10-digits.  
 
Our tourists and visitors are gonna hate this.

sure Alberta has ten digit dialing. They split the province north and south I believe.

frivolouspink said "sure Alberta has ten digit dialing. They split the province north and south I believe. "

Last time I was there visiting in-laws (about 2 years ago) we didn't dial 10 digits but not sure when they introduced a new area code either so I could be wrong now.

Torn Rawks said "    frivolouspink said "sure Alberta has ten digit dialing. They split the province north and south I believe. " Last time I was there visiting in-laws (about 2 years ago) we didn't dial 10 digits but not sure when they introduced a new area code either so I could be wrong now. "

Yep. Alberta has 780 (north), 403 (south) AND 587 which covers everywhere. They have also had 10 digit dialing for a few years now.

From what i can tell, manitoba is on of the last places 10 digit dialing is coming into effect.  
 
The Maritimes are starting right away or have already.  
 
BC has 3 area codes (604 lower mainland and 250 northern bc and island plus 778 for cell phones all over).  
 
I don't dial any numbers, my address book dials them for me, i think all my numbers already have the 204 on them. It will take some getting use to, but not long. It took me 2 weeks to learn to do it in bc.

Torn Rawks said "    frivolouspink said "sure Alberta has ten digit dialing. They split the province north and south I believe. " Last time I was there visiting in-laws (about 2 years ago) we didn't dial 10 digits but not sure when they introduced a new area code either so I could be wrong now. "

We moved there 4 years ago and they had just started using it around that time in our area.

A good piece in a Winnipeg paper.  
http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/98660/new-area-code-means-tobans-will-need-more-fingers-to-do-talking/  
 
It goes into a similar process that took place in Toronto and how having the old 416 area code was almost a badge of honour for a while for some, until the new 647 code became "cool." I guess in that way you could loosely compare it to when Brandon broke the 72X-XXXX pattern and brought in 57X-XXXX numbers. I hope for 431 numbers that they at least try to stick with the same format for the middle three numbers and have us be 431-72X-XXXX, 431-57X-XXXX, etc?  
 
From an eBrandon perspective the main thing I can think of is to start putting 204 before the phone number in classified ads, but still quite a bit of time before there'll be the possibility of anyone with a 431 number.

Torn Rawks said "Adam we knew it was coming but I still don't like it.     How do you know what is long-distance and what isn't? Don't know if you are dialing winnipeg or across the street.     They should have followed the ontario and BC examples. I grew up in BC and they made it simple - Vancouver etc. kept the 604 area code, rest of the province shifted to new area code.     Why not here? Winnpeg = 204: rest of MB the new one or vice versa.     Stupid method they chose if you ask me - and only province I am aware of where you need to dial 10-digits.     Our tourists and visitors are gonna hate this. "

If you try to dial a number not in the calling area. You will get a recording saying you have to dial 1 before the number..

Torn Rawks said "Adam we knew it was coming but I still don't like it.     How do you know what is long-distance and what isn't? Don't know if you are dialing winnipeg or across the street.     They should have followed the ontario and BC examples. I grew up in BC and they made it simple - Vancouver etc. kept the 604 area code, rest of the province shifted to new area code.     Why not here? Winnpeg = 204: rest of MB the new one or vice versa.     Stupid method they chose if you ask me - and only province I am aware of where you need to dial 10-digits.     Our tourists and visitors are gonna hate this. "

does it suck? This isn't difficult.  
 
Have you ever spend any time in Ontario, specifically Toronto? This is nothing new. Why would our tourists hate it?

Doug said "It had to come. I do think though that they should have figured out a way to drill down a tad with where the area codes would be. Three maybe. One new one for all new growth in WPG. One the the rest of Manitoba. 204/431 would be Peg numbers. Another new one for outside the perimeter. It allows for many decades of growth.     As it sits now it is now okay but that new area code will fill up pretty quick. It would just be nice to see at a glance where in Manitoba where one is calling from.         "

Doug I tried to argue the same thing back when this was in application. It would be nice if the area codes were split geographically but it's more complicated to implement and would cost more so it wasn't a viable option. Mts is a small fish in a big ocean. It's only a matter of time before it gets gobbled up by one of the bigger players.

RyanW2008 said "From what i can tell, manitoba is on of the last places 10 digit dialing is coming into effect.     The Maritimes are starting right away or have already.     BC has 3 area codes (604 lower mainland and 250 northern bc and island plus 778 for cell phones all over).     I don't dial any numbers, my address book dials them for me, i think all my numbers already have the 204 on them. It will take some getting use to, but not long. It took me 2 weeks to learn to do it in bc. "

program all my #'s this way for years. Mainly cause i was working for MTS so had heard it was coming way back. Plus if i was working down south or out west i might be on somebody elses cell network so needed it.

Mittens is confused.  
 
Do you litterally just dial the 10 digits, or do you have to dial the 1 first. Like 1-204-000-0000?

Is MTS going to fix the fact that if you dial a "1" before a local 10-digit number you get a recording and the call doesn't go through? All of my contact numbers on my Rogers cell have 10 digits plus the "1". Rogers connects the call every time even if it is local. If I try that from an MTS phone I get that damn recording...

As Alberta and Ontario quickly discovered, the geographical split does not work for very long before they had to introduce a third area code.  
 
With 204 being used all over the province, the cost to assign a new area code to current customers would be expensive for them to change stationary (i.e., 1,000 business cards that take five years to use up) and other information to match the geographic area code system.  
 
One idea would be for them to keep the same prefix but with the new area code. For example, Hamiota would have 204-764-XXXX and 431-764-XXXX meaning you would know by the 764 that it was from the Hamiota area. I usually do not care where a call is from. If they are in my contact list, the name will appear rather than the number. With cell phones, the location is irrelevant. There are many 306 numbers in the classifieds from university students that have not changed their plan while at BU. A 306 area code does not mean they are calling from Saskatchewan but could be calling from the apartment across the street from you.  
 
Great summer activity for the ten year old - visit the grandparents and reprogram their phones and cell phones contact lists with the 10 digit number versions.

*Mittens* said "Mittens is confused.     Do you litterally just dial the 10 digits, or do you have to dial the 1 first. Like 1-204-000-0000? "

You'd dial just the 10 digits for local calls. Long distance would be 1 plus the 10 digits (or the same thing as before).  
 
From the FAQ at the link below even if you dial 1 first for local calls it'll connect, but it'll give you a recording first telling you that the 1 isn't necessary:  
http://dial10.ca/en-CA/204-area/FAQ/default.htm  

Adam said "    *Mittens* said "Mittens is confused.     Do you litterally just dial the 10 digits, or do you have to dial the 1 first. Like 1-204-000-0000? " You'd dial just the 10 digits for local calls. Long distance would be 1 plus the 10 digits (or the same thing as before).     From the FAQ at the link below even if you dial 1 first for local calls it'll connect, but it'll give you a recording first telling you that the 1 isn't necessary:   http://dial10.ca/en-CA/204-area/FAQ/default.htm   "

Glad to hear that. As I mentioned earlier, the current MTS system will NOT complete a local call if you dial "1" and the 10-digit number. I still don't understand why the recording is needed, though. If you are thinking that you're dialing LD but it's local, you won't be charged anyway.

Just one week to go.  
A story from the Winnipeg Sun on the switchover and the 431 area code that isn't far behind:  
http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/07/22/10-digit-dialing-on-its-way

Torn Rawks said "Adam we knew it was coming but I still don't like it.     How do you know what is long-distance and what isn't? Don't know if you are dialing winnipeg or across the street.     They should have followed the ontario and BC examples. I grew up in BC and they made it simple - Vancouver etc. kept the 604 area code, rest of the province shifted to new area code.     Why not here? Winnpeg = 204: rest of MB the new one or vice versa.     Stupid method they chose if you ask me - and only province I am aware of where you need to dial 10-digits.     Our tourists and visitors are gonna hate this. "

And / Or the other way around it is to have all cell phone numbers use 431 and kept 204 for all Rural Manitoba. This does falls into the only in Manitoba category.  
 
Edited by unbreakable1, 2012-07-22 19:23:01

my cell has everyones numbers in it...guess i should start now to make sure everyone i have has 204 programmed.  
 
JR...are you sure about that? im almost positive my cell has 1204 numbers in it and when i dial them they register even though sometimes they are local?

If people have a problem with our system, try deciphering this beauty.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_numbers_in_the_United_Kingdom

sammy said "my cell has everyones numbers in it...guess i should start now to make sure everyone i have has 204 programmed.     JR...are you sure about that? im almost positive my cell has 1204 numbers in it and when i dial them they register even though sometimes they are local? "

When a cell phone lists a number dialed, it is for calculation of minutes used and not usually for the long distance charges. I believe MTS has a policy that cell to cell, if both are MTS cell phones, are not charged long distance.  
 
It may appear that you were charged because the billing is so confusing but they are just keeping track of the numbers and minutes.  
 
I think they have been accepting the 204 and 1204 on local calls already. The July 29 date is the MUST change date.  
 
A reminder to send that idle teen to the senior's home for the day to make sure their Speed Dialer has been properly upgraded with the 204 and 1-204 added where required.

yup i understand that part katwalk. but i was referring to JR's post that MTS will not complete the call if you dial 1 and then the 10 digit number(im assuming he meant 1 and then the 9 digit number? or else you would be dialing 1-1-204-xxx-xxxx and that wouldnt register as a number)  
 
as it is now, my cell will dial 1204xxx-xxxx and will complete the call even if its a local number and no i am NOT charged for this obviously.  
 
perhaps, im not understanding JR's post tho.

I agree Sammy. My numbers are all programmed with 1-204-xxx-xxxx, and have been for years. I've never had a problem completing calls whether they're long distance or local.  

Haha exactly. Just be thankful you don't live in the UK. Numbers everywhere!

sammy said "yup i understand that part katwalk. but i was referring to JR's post that MTS will not complete the call if you dial 1 and then the 10 digit number(im assuming he meant 1 and then the 9 digit number? or else you would be dialing 1-1-204-xxx-xxxx and that wouldnt register as a number)     as it is now, my cell will dial 1204xxx-xxxx and will complete the call even if its a local number and no i am NOT charged for this obviously.     perhaps, im not understanding JR's post tho. "

You understood it correctly, you're just bad at counting is all.  
 
XXX-XXXX = 7  
XXX-XXX-XXXX = 10  
1-XXX-XXX-XXXX = 11

GhOsTID said "    sammy said "yup i understand that part katwalk. but i was referring to JR's post that MTS will not complete the call if you dial 1 and then the 10 digit number(im assuming he meant 1 and then the 9 digit number? or else you would be dialing 1-1-204-xxx-xxxx and that wouldnt register as a number)     as it is now, my cell will dial 1204xxx-xxxx and will complete the call even if its a local number and no i am NOT charged for this obviously.     perhaps, im not understanding JR's post tho. " You understood it correctly, you're just bad at counting is all.     XXX-XXXX = 7   XXX-XXX-XXXX = 10   1-XXX-XXX-XXXX = 11 "

LOL so I am!!! Math was never my strong point....but I did think I was better than that at simple addition!!! Haha. Thanks for pointing that out!

unbreakable1 said "    Torn Rawks said "Adam we knew it was coming but I still don't like it.     How do you know what is long-distance and what isn't? Don't know if you are dialing winnipeg or across the street.     They should have followed the ontario and BC examples. I grew up in BC and they made it simple - Vancouver etc. kept the 604 area code, rest of the province shifted to new area code.     Why not here? Winnpeg = 204: rest of MB the new one or vice versa.     Stupid method they chose if you ask me - and only province I am aware of where you need to dial 10-digits.     Our tourists and visitors are gonna hate this. " And / Or the other way around it is to have all cell phone numbers use 431 and kept 204 for all Rural Manitoba. This does falls into the only in Manitoba category.     Edited by unbreakable1, 2012-07-22 19:23:01"

If they do that they are forcing all the businesses to change all there advertising and other items with phone numbers on it.