Micron Document




Area codes 709 and 879
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Area codes 709 and 879 are the telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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History

The first telephone system was installed in Newfoundland in 1885, but domestic long-distance calls within the Dominion of Newfoundland could be placed on a limited basis only in 1921. The first long-distance call from Newfoundland to Canada was made on January 10, 1939, by using a shortwave radio link operated by the Canadian Marconi Company in Montréal. Shortwave radio also carried calls from St. John's to London, England.

When the first comprehensive continental telephone numbering plan was created in 1947, establishing the original North American area codes, Newfoundland had not yet become of part of Canada. No provisions had been made to include Newfoundland in the numbering plan. The Newfoundland telephone system was entirely manual, and dial telephones came to St. John's only in 1948.cite-ref-clarenville-1-0[1]

After Newfoundland's Confederation with the Dominion of Canada was enacted in 1949, the first cross-province long-distance call was placed from St. John's to Port aux Basques in 1949.cite-ref-clarenville-1-1[1]

In 1949, Newfoundland was added in an expansion of numbering plan area 902, which comprised the three Maritime provinces. The area code remains in use for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. New Brunswick and Newfoundland were split from the NPA with area code 506 in 1955. In 1962, Labrador was split off and combined with Newfoundland to form a new numbering plan area with area code 709.cite-ref-2[2] Canadian direct-distance dial locations gradually increased over the next several years, beginning in 1958 with the country's largest cities, Toronto and Montreal. The area codes served mostly for Operator Toll Dialing until customer dialing of long-distance calls became common in the 1960s.

The incumbent local exchange carrier for area code 709 is Bell Aliant. It is owned by Bell Canada, which was formed in 1999 as a result of a merger that included NewTel Communications (previously Newfoundland Telephone). There had been as many as nine companies in Newfoundland and Labrador until 1951. NewTel acquired the last independent company in 1988.

In 2017, area code 879 was assigned as the second area code for Newfoundland and Labrador for relief action by overlay.cite-ref-3[3]cite-ref-4[4] In July 2020, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator estimated an exhaustion stage for NPA 709 of June 2028,cite-ref-pl557-5-0[5] which led to an indefinite suspension of relief action in 2021. Relief planning was rescheduled by the CRTC on September 15, 2023, for activation of an overlay on February 17, 2024.cite-ref-pl622-6-0[6]

The central office prefix 988 is used in the numbering plan area in Norman's Bay. As the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission recommended using the three-digit code 988 for suicide prevention, after the United States has implemented the same code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,cite-ref-7[7] ten-digit dialling was implemented on April 1, 2023, across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Service area and central office prefixes

At the time of creation of the 879 overlay, NPA 709 comprised 209 exchange areas.cite-ref-pl622-6-1[6]

• Premium numbers: 976
Arnold's Cove: 463, 556
Badger: 539
Baie Verte: 297, 529, 532, 554
Bay L'Argent: 373 461
Bay Roberts: 222, 680, 683, 703, 786, 787, 788, 983
Beaumont: 264
Belleoram: 881
Bellevue: 442, 762
Bell Island: 488, 849
Birchy Bay: 659, 761
Bishop's Falls: 258, 395
Black Tickle: 471
Bonavista: 218, 468, 470, 476, 704
Botwood: 257, 389
Boyd's Cove: 259, 656
Branch: 338
Brent's Cove: 575, 661
Brig Bay: 247
Brigus: 527, 528
Brown's Arm: 654
Buchans: 672, 719
Burgeo: 886
Burin: 342, 891, 894
Burlington: 239, 252
Campbellton: 261, 262
Cape Broyle: 432, 756
Carbonear: 501, 595, 596, 597, 945, 978
Carmanville: 291, 534, 858
Cartwright: 938
Catalina: 469, 477
Centreville: 522, 561, 678
Chance Cove: 460, 768
Chapel Arm: 592, 593
Churchill Falls: 735, 925, 977
Clarenville: 425, 426, 427, 429, 433, 466, 766, 907, 979
Clarke's Head: 676, 767
Codroy: 955
Come By Chance: 472, 542, 557
Comfort Cove-Newstead: 244, 246
Conche: 622
Coomb's Cove: 887
Corner Brook: 216, 289, 388, 412, 612, 619, 630, 632, 634, 637, 638, 639, 640, 660, 785
Cottrell's Cove: 485, 491
Cow Head: 243
Deer Lake: 215, 299, 391, 633, 635, 636
• Degras: 272, 644
Eastport: 303, 526, 677
Englee: 866
English Harbour East: 245, 376
Fair Haven: 878
Fermeuse: 363, 718
Flatrock: 437
Fleur de Lys: 253
Flower's Cove: 456
Fogo: 266, 270, 863, 989
Forteau: 931
Francois: 842
• French Island: 934
Freshwater: 213, 226, 227, 230, 286, 980
Gambo: 524, 564, 674
Gander: 220, 234, 235, 256, 287, 381, 422, 424, 431, 571, 651
Garden Cove: 549, 550
Garnish: 328, 826
Gaultois: 841
Glenwood: 574, 679
Glovertown: 520, 533, 563, 985
Grand Bank: 353, 377, 832
Grand Bruit: 492
Grand Falls-Windsor: 290, 292, 293, 358, 393, 486, 489, 572
Grandois: 423
Greenspond: 223, 269
Grey River: 296
Griquet: 623
Hampden: 455
Happy Valley-Goose Bay: 217, 372, 414, 896, 897, 899, 929, 982, 998
Harbour Breton: 323, 885
Harbour Main: 229, 231
Hare Bay: 523, 537
Hawke's Bay: 248
Heart's Content: 583, 585
Heart's Delight: 588, 590
Hermitage: 880, 883
Hickman's Harbour: 547, 559
Hillgrade: 628, 827
Hillview: 434, 546
Hopedale: 933
Horwood: 671, 892
Jackson's Arm: 459
Jamestown: 473
Jeffrey's: 274, 645, 775
King's Cove: 447, 448
King's Point: 268, 481
Labrador City - Wabush: 280, 282, 285, 288, 413, 930, 944, 962, 987
Ladle Cove: 670, 874
Lamaline: 369, 857
La Poile: 496
Lark Harbour: 681
La Scie: 566, 675
Lewisporte: 535, 541, 569
Little Bay: 267
Little Heart's Ease: 435, 548
Long Harbour: 228
Long Pond: 240, 284, 480, 744, 781, 834, 835
Lourdes: 271, 642
Lumsden: 281, 530
Main Brook: 865
Makkovik: 923
Marystown: 276, 277, 279, 332, 357, 567, 909, 981
McCallum: 846
McIvers: 688
Millertown: 852
Milltown: 882, 889
Ming's Bight: 254
Monkstown: 356
Monroe: 663
Moreton's Harbour: 684, 831
Mount Carmel: 521, 578
Musgravetown: 439, 467
Nain: 922
Natuashish: 478
New Chelsea: 586, 591
New Harbour: 580, 582
Newman's Cove: 445, 446
Norman's Bay: 988
Norris Arm: 653
Old Perlican: 587, 620
Pacquet: 251, 565
Pasadena: 394, 686
Petite Forte: 428
Pinsent's Arm: 951
Plate Cove: 544, 545
Pool's Cove: 665
Port Albert: 241
Port au Port: 278, 648
Port aux Basques: 694, 695, 696
Port Blandford: 347, 543
Port Rexton: 436, 464, 562
Port Saunders: 298, 861
Portugal Cove: 242, 560, 773, 895
Postville: 479
Pouch Cove: 232, 335
Princeton: 462, 558
Raleigh: 452
Ramea: 625
Red Bay: 920
Rigolet: 947
Robert's Arm: 650, 652, 869
Rocky Harbour: 419, 458
Roddickton: 457, 774
Rose Blanche: 956
Rushoon: 374, 443
Seldom: 627
• Smokey: 961
Sop's Arm: 482
South Brook: 657, 868
Springdale: 668, 673, 692, 867, 990
St. Alban's: 324, 500, 538
St. Anthony: 212, 449, 450, 454
St. Brendan's: 669
St. Bride's: 337, 519
Stephenville: 214, 283, 641, 643, 649, 721, 973
Stephenville Crossing: 444, 646
St. George's: 275, 647
St. John's (including some suburbs): 221, 237, 260, 273, 314, 315, 325, 327, 330, 341, 351, 352, 364, 368, 383, 415, 551, 552, 553, 570, 576, 579, 631, 682, 685, 687, 689, 690, 691, 693, 697, 699, 700, 701, 702, 705, 722, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 733, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 743, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 752, 753, 754, 757, 758, 763, 764, 765, 769, 770, 771, 772, 777, 778, 782, 793, 800, 833, 844, 850, 853, 864, 948, 986, 997, 999
St. Lawrence: 320, 359, 873
St. Lewis: 939
St. Mary's: 295, 525
Summerford: 629, 723
Summerside: 783
Terra Nova: 265
Terrenceville: 375, 662
Torbay: 233, 400, 401, 437, 577
Trepassey: 326, 438, 717
Triton: 263, 421, 441
Trout River: 451
Twillingate: 304, 884, 893
Upper Island Cove: 573, 589, 594, 720, 910, 984
Wesleyville: 348, 536, 540
Western Bay: 598
Westport: 224, 236
Whitbourne: 759, 760
Wild Cove: 329
Winterton: 583
Witless Bay: 238, 334, 493
Woody Point: 453

See also
References

cite-note-clarenville-11. "Telegraph and Telephone Companies". Unofficial Clarenville webpage.
cite-note-22. citerefmoore1996Moore, Carl (1996-02-12). "history.of.area.splits". TELECOM Digest. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
cite-note-33. citerefwall2016Wall, Lukas (2016-05-31). "In the 709 area? You'll soon need to dial 10 digits". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
cite-note-44. "Planning Letter 503: NPA 879 to Overlay NPA 709 (Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada)" (PDF). NANPA. 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
cite-note-pl557-55. "Planning Letter 557: NPA 879 to Overlay NPA 709 (Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada)" (PDF). NANPA. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
cite-note-pl622-66. "Planning Letter 622: NPA 879 to Overlay NPA 709 (Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada)" (PDF). NANPA. 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
cite-note-77. "Call for comments – Introduction of a three-digit abbreviated dialing code for mental health crisis and suicide prevention services". 2021-06-03.

External links

• CNA - CO Code/Phone Number Lookup
• Telecom archives
• Area Code Map of Canada

| | North : Country code 299 in Greenland | |
|---|---|---|
| West : 418/581 , 819/873 , 782/902 | 709/879 | East : Atlantic Ocean |
| | South : 418/581 , country code 508 in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon , Atlantic Ocean | |
| Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island area codes: 782/902 | Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island area codes: 782/902 | Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island area codes: 782/902 |
| Quebec area codes: 418/581/367 , 450/579/354 , 514/438/263 , 819/873/468 | Quebec area codes: 418/581/367 , 450/579/354 , 514/438/263 , 819/873/468 | Quebec area codes: 418/581/367 , 450/579/354 , 514/438/263 , 819/873/468 |