When phone exchanges were phased out to make way for an area code in 1965, Montrealers became familiar with the three-digit 514 code preceding their phone numbers, before and after ten-digit dialing was introduced.
Then more than a decade ago, a new area code was introduced to Montreal for those who got new phone lines installed: 438.
However, on October 22, 2022, according to a recent decision rendered by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Montrealers will be using a third three-digit area code for new phone lines: 263.
The 263 area code was determined by the CRTC as early as 2017, but the selection of what the three digits would be is based on the idea that any new area code that’s introduced should not closely resemble previous numerical combinations, therefore not creating any confusion with residents of the city in question.
The decision stated that based on studies conducted by the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) in 2019, there was a need for a new area code for Montreal because of “exhaust”, meaning that the 514 and 438 area codes were close to being used up.
However, according to a report by CTV News Montreal, there have been some confusion regarding when the exhaust dates for 514 and 438 would take place. There were people who originally believed that it would be in 2027. Then in the 2019 CNA report, the exhaust date was projected for November 2024. Then this past June, the CNA released a revised report that stated the new exhaust date would be January of 2022.
Five days later, this decision precipitated a panicked reaction, which prompted the CNA to push up the exhaust date to February of 2024. After that, a committee was established this past June to draw up a new plan, which led to the decision to introduce the 263 area code in Montreal next October.
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