Cingular GSM and broadcasting your area code

[Shizam76]

Somebody here (I think it was bobolito??) answered a question a while back. I asked that why when I was roaming on TMobile or AT&T GSM, that I didn't have to dial the area code of the phone number I was calling (same area code as my phone) and the person said because with GSM, your area code is automatically included when you dial a 7 digit number. I thought that was pretty cool. Well, last weekend I was in Orlando FLorida and called home, dialing only the 7 digit number (same area code as my phone) and I was told by Cingular recording "You must dial the area code and number when calling from this area"...or something very similar to that. If my area code was being tacked on, shouldn't the call have gone through? I was on Cingular GSM there too.....I checked before calling.

[CDMA]

I thought it was like this; You travel somewhere and you don't have to dial the area code for the local numbers that you call while your there????????? Even though the local area code is completly different from your home area code.

In other words; the local GSM network put's it's area code in front of the calls you make. So calling back home would require you to use your home area code or else you would be calling a local number.

I think this is how it works, anyone else know?

[aiwapro]

It just depends on the area you are in. In places where dialing the area code is required, big cities mostly (because they have multiple area codes), then when you travel there, you shall have to dial the area code too.

[ZaphodB]

Orlando has this weird overlay thing happening, where 407 and 321 "overlap" but there are parts of 321 that don't also have 407 numbers, etc. etc. etc., this farkockta setup brought to you by the League of Florida Voters, etc.

In short, when you are in or near Orlando, you have to dial ten digits no matter where you're calling from or where you're calling to. Similar situations exist in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, eastern Massachusetts, part of Pennsylvania, parts of Texas, all of Maryland, etc.

[PatP]

I think the voters of Florida have brought us a few other interesting things in the last few years. Look at what they've done with family law, evidence handling, and of course the presidential election. Area codes sit relatively low on that list, in my opinion!

-PatP