Here's another shortage to worry about: North America is running out of area codes. Now that New York City has been promised 917, there are only five unassigned area codes left for the North American Numbering Plan, which covers the US, Canada, and most of the Caribbean. Next February Bell Communications Research, which administers the plan will reclaim 905 and 706 from Mexico, where the codes are not used internally.

Fortunately, this is one shortage that really has a quick fix.

Starting July 1, 1995, Bellcore will open up a reservoir of 640 area codes, four times the number now in use. Existing codes must have zero or one as the second digit, but the new ones will not need to, thanks to new equipment.

Get ready for some odd-looking area codes, perhaps 777 for Las Vegas?

{Business Week May 7, 1990}