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Gail Lawyer, |
I never thought it could happen to me ... until I moved to Maryland. Now I can sympathize with those who have come before me and suffered such injustice.
When I called to set up my phone lines for my new house and home office, I expected to get numbers that began with the area code "301." But instead I was assigned one of those unrecognizable overlay area codes. It is "240," which covers half the state of Maryland, from the D.C. suburbs all the way to the farthest western reaches of the state.
I wanted a "301" number so I wouldn't be different from my neighbors and so my sources for X-CHANGE could easily tell which time zone my office resides in. No such luck. I'm stuck with a seemingly second-rate area code that most people do not recognize.
Judging from the reactions I've gotten when I've given out my new home and office numbers, you'd think I'm living somewhere just east of Siberia. But really I'm living in Laurel, Md., which is about halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
When the first area code splits and overlays happened several years ago, I chuckled at the thousands of people who fretted that they'd lose recognition and some sort of prestige if they didn't have a "212" area code in New York, or "301" in Maryland. These people complained that no one would know where they were located or want to contact them if callers thought the number was long distance.
I thought that the public would quickly get used to the new area codes and begin to associate them with the corresponding geography. But now I know that's not the case. Recent conversations I've had with people I assumed were knowledgeable illustrate that point.
For instance, shortly after being assigned my new "240" numbers, I called to set up my account with the electric company. I gave the customer service rep my contact information, including all 10 digits of my phone number. It took about two minutes to get her to understand that "240" was my area code, not my telephone exchange.
The most shocking conversation was with a woman who worked in the repair office at Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic). My new home phone line was not working properly, so when I gave the woman the number I was having problems with, she questioned where I was calling from and whether I was in Verizon's jurisdiction. Then I had to explain how an overlay worked to a representative of the phone company, and she admitted she'd never heard of my area code before.
I might have cut her some slack if this so-called "new" area code was actually a recent phenomenon. But it's not. The "240" area code was established as an overlay in January 1998--more than two and a half years ago. That seems like plenty of time for the general public--not to mention a telco employee--to become aware of any new area code.
Now that I've experienced the questioning by those unaware of my area code, I'm no longer chuckling like I used to. Most people have no clue where I live or where my office is located based on my phone numbers. I know, firsthand, what it's like to be alienated because of my area code.
But it's nothing to be ashamed of.
I hold my head up high when I inform you that I've relocated. To contact me now, you must dial (240) 568-9763. My fax number is (240) 568-9798. And yes, that's a Maryland area code.
