Area code 500
Encyclopedia
Area codes 500, 533, and 544 are non-geographic area codes reserved for Personal Communications Services
. The 500 code was authorized by the United States
Federal Communications Commission
, and introduced into the North American Numbering Plan
in 1995.
In 1995 AT&T
introduced a "follow-me" service under the brand name of AT&T True Connections using the 500 area code. It was designed to replace the AT&T EasyReach 700
service. Other local exchange carrier
s and interexchange carrier
s introduced similar competitive services.
AT&T True Connections service was not well-received. Companies, hotels, and others with PBX equipment continued to block the dialing of 500 because it was a caller-paid number. Phone-sex services also began using the 500 prefix and forwarding the calls to various foreign countries.
The 500 prefix is still registered to a variety of phone companies, and is being used for non-geographic services including dial-up modem access.
In 1996, AT&T
attempted to migrate users to its revised service called "Personal Reach" 800, built on a toll-free (receiver-paid) platform rather than the original (caller-paid) 500 program. AT&T also has a patent (59078110) on "personal reach service".
AT&T then licensed and transferred all personal reach services to MCE, Inc. MCE was supposedly the company providing the back-end system for all personal reach services to AT&T. No public information was released on the transfer away from AT&T. Subscribers were notified by mail that bills would begin to arrive from MCE instead of AT&T. It is also believed that MCE is a subsidiary of EMNS, Inc., a web hosting company in Chicago. MCE continues to supply personal reach service using the AT&T transport network.
AT&T True Connections was discontinued by AT&T in 2000, following the Federal Communications Commission
approval of its tariff
to cease providing the service.
Although AT&T no longer uses the 500 code, it was supplemented by 533 in 2009, followed by 544 in December 2010. The 566 code will be activated by 2012. 522 (which had been used for Mexico roaming
), 577, and 588 remain in reserve for this service.
Personal Communications Service (NANP)
A personal communications service in the North American Numbering Plan is a special purpose telephone number contained in area code 500, 533 , defined by ATIS as "a set of capabilities that allows some combination of personal mobility, terminal mobility, and service profile management".-External...
. The 500 code was authorized by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, and introduced into the North American Numbering Plan
North American Numbering Plan
The North American Numbering Plan is an integrated telephone numbering plan administered by Neustar which encompasses 24 countries and territories, including the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 nations of the Caribbean...
in 1995.
In 1995 AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
introduced a "follow-me" service under the brand name of AT&T True Connections using the 500 area code. It was designed to replace the AT&T EasyReach 700
Area code 700
North American area code 700 of the North American Numbering Plan was introduced in 1983 to allow for presubscribing phone numbers to particular interexchange carriers...
service. Other local exchange carrier
Local exchange carrier
Local Exchange Carrier is a regulatory term in telecommunications for the local telephone company.In the United States, wireline telephone companies are divided into two large categories: long distance and local...
s and interexchange carrier
Interexchange carrier
An Interexchange Carrier is a U.S. legal and regulatory term for a telecommunications company, commonly called a long-distance telephone company, such as MCI , Sprint and the former AT&T in the United States...
s introduced similar competitive services.
AT&T True Connections service was not well-received. Companies, hotels, and others with PBX equipment continued to block the dialing of 500 because it was a caller-paid number. Phone-sex services also began using the 500 prefix and forwarding the calls to various foreign countries.
The 500 prefix is still registered to a variety of phone companies, and is being used for non-geographic services including dial-up modem access.
In 1996, AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
attempted to migrate users to its revised service called "Personal Reach" 800, built on a toll-free (receiver-paid) platform rather than the original (caller-paid) 500 program. AT&T also has a patent (59078110) on "personal reach service".
AT&T then licensed and transferred all personal reach services to MCE, Inc. MCE was supposedly the company providing the back-end system for all personal reach services to AT&T. No public information was released on the transfer away from AT&T. Subscribers were notified by mail that bills would begin to arrive from MCE instead of AT&T. It is also believed that MCE is a subsidiary of EMNS, Inc., a web hosting company in Chicago. MCE continues to supply personal reach service using the AT&T transport network.
AT&T True Connections was discontinued by AT&T in 2000, following the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
approval of its tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
to cease providing the service.
Although AT&T no longer uses the 500 code, it was supplemented by 533 in 2009, followed by 544 in December 2010. The 566 code will be activated by 2012. 522 (which had been used for Mexico roaming
Roaming
In wireless telecommunications, roaming is a general term referring to the extension of connectivity service in a location that is different from the home location where the service was registered. Roaming ensures that the wireless device is kept connected to the network, without losing the...
), 577, and 588 remain in reserve for this service.
External links
- http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL-94-05-005.pdfBellcore (now Telcordia TechnologiesTelcordia TechnologiesTelcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. or Bellcore, is a telecommunications research and development company based in the United States created as part of the 1982 Modification of Final Judgment that broke up American Telephone & Telegraph...
) assignment of Service Access Code 500] - [ftp://www.fcc.gov/pub/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Orders/2000/da000771.txt FCC Order Permitting AT&T to discontinue 500 number service]
- NANPA Numbering Resources - PCS 5YY-NXX Assignments