At one time, dialing locally only required the actual phone number. Now, a third area code is needed to keep up with the growing demand in telephone traffic.
Starting in June 2016, southwestern Ontario will begin using area code 548, but only after all current 519 and 226 numbers have been depleted.
Glen Brown with the Canadian Numbering Administrator says there are many reasons a new area code is being added. "Cell phones is one of the items, increased competition is another. There are more and more telephone companies out there," says Brown. "And the other (reason) I'm going to say is an explosion of technology."
Brown doesn't anticipate the need to add yet another new area code until between 2025 and 2030. "The demand of the phone numbers seem to go with the community and the economy," says Brown. "So when things are going very well there seems to be a higher demand."