Alberta is set to launch a new area code on Saturday, April 23, 2022. The area code 368 will join existing area codes of 403, 587, 780 and 825.
According to the Telecommunications Alliance on Thursday, the new 368 area code is in response to the increasing demand for phone numbers in the region.
The new area code will gradually roll out on April 23, and after this date, “consumers and businesses requesting a new phone number may receive one with the new area code,” said Kelly T. Walsh, Program Manager of the Canadian Numbering Administrator, in a statement.
Existing numbers will retain their same area codes and local calling areas stay the same. Local calls still require 10 digits (area code plus local number), while special numbers will still be dialled using only three digits (such as 911, 211, 311, etc).
The CRTC announced back in March 2021 that the new area code was destined for Alberta.
Businesses that restrict long distance calling will need to update systems to add 368 as a new local area code.
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Back in the day, someone did a poor job at area code planning. I think they thought regions would never exceed the need for one area code. Now each region needs many area codes and we are left with random area code numbers, as in this instance 403, 587, 780 and 825. Had the consortium who dished out area codes planned, it could have been much cleaner…403,404,405,406 instead of this randomness of area code numbers