MONTREAL – A new area code, 438, has now been introduced in the 514 region of Montréal to accommodate the ever growing demand for new telephone numbers.
"The introduction of new area codes is an increasingly common occurrence in North America. As such, it is not surprising that this is taking place in Montréal and other regions in the province of Québec", said Lucie Papineau Pugliese, spokesperson for the Québec Telecommunications Alliance.
The new 438 area code has become necessary to meet the high demand for new telephone numbers in Montréal. These requests continue to grow from consumers as well as businesses. The demand is fuelled by the growing popularity of communications tools such as wireless services, Internet and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Introducing another area code allows telecommunications companies to provide millions of new telephone numbers without affecting existing ones.
The 438 area code is now being used on the Island of Montréal and will continue to be used as more new telephone numbers are assigned. It is important to note that 514 numbers will continue to be assigned until there are none available.
Another new area code, 581, will be gradually introduced over the next couple of weeks in the 418 region, too. The Telecommunications Alliance has been leading an informational campaign for the residents of this region, who now have to dial 10 digits for all local calls.
In addition, a new area code for the 450 region surrounding Montréal will be introduced in the coming years.
