Can We Just Skip the Waiting Period Please
Home Life, Rants and Raves - 5 Comments » - Posted on January, 2 at 7:34 pm
Back in July of 2007 they finally implemented the new area code for New Mexico and who would be assigned the new area code. When all was said and done it was decided that, of course, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and some nearby cities and towns would keep the old 505 area code while the rest of the state would have to change to the new area code of 575.
Considering they picked the more wealthy portion of the state to accommodate I wasn’t surprised, in fact I was expecting it and I didn’t understand why people were bothering to waste their breathe talking to their city officials. The moment that the newspapers released the proposed solutions to the implementation of a second area code I knew what would happen. Everyone was complaining about how much of a pain it would be to change things and how to evenly divide the state. Some even suggested a third area code to allow for growth, which really was a smart idea since it was at one point projected that all of the proposed plans would necessitate the addition of a third area code within a decade or so. But amongst all this chaos there was one plan that would leave our state capital, Farmington, and Albuquerque, the main tourist attractions, unaffected. Given how small the preserved area is in comparison with the entire state, it really would be selfish to let only that small portion retain the 505. Especially when you consider how densely populated that portion of the state is compared to the rest of the state and yet have the rest of the state change to 575. But hey, that’s where the celebrities have summer homes and that’s where our state and federal officials conduct business. It made perfect sense that they would benefit. 
And they did.
But I’m not here to bitch about what has already been done, what I’m here to bitch about is the aftermath. Even though the new area code was announced and technically went into affect in July and you can reach people in the 575 areas by dialing dialing the 575 area code, it’s not fully in affect, not for another year or so. Until then people in the 575 area can still be reached by using the old 505 area code. This was done to give people a grace period and time to adjust. Why people would need a year is beyond me though.
Here’s the real kicker though. Because it hasn’t gone into full affect yet, most systems do not acknowledge that New Mexico even has a 575 area code and will knock back my number, if I register it with the new area code, as invalid. So that means that within another year or so I have to turn around and go to every place I have ever signed up with and change my contact information. Now that’s the real bullshit right there. Supposedly this grace period is supposed to be so that we can make sure everyone has the new number, the utilities company has everything done correctly, and all numbers are updated, but because of how the state set it up, you can’t change the number anyway. So why do we need this grace period? Let’s get rid of it! 
Not even the stores in Las Cruces, New Mexico or even in El Paso, Texas, register the area code change. I tried to set up a membership at Best Buy a month or so ago and when they asked for my phone number I gave them the 575 area code. Their computer wouldn’t take it and keep giving the message that it was an invalid area code. The Best Buy was in Las Cruces, we all know of the area code change, and yet the database wouldn’t recognize it. That’s happened everywhere. Amazon, Ebay, Capital One – online and in stores!
So I have to ask, what the hell good is this “grace period” anyway? We can’t use it for the purpose it’s intended for, so what purpose does this serve? Besides to aggravate us that is.
Tagged: 505, 575, area-code, new-mexico, nmPosted in Home Life, Rants and Raves | 5 Comments »
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Gah. That’s so obnoxious. That happened to where I was living in Cali, they changed the area code from 510 to 925 in certain areas cause of the population and so everyone had to update their numbers. And updating numbers is a pain. Especially that some people just don’t do it and then people get wrong number calls all the time and want to kill people. (I hate wrong number calls that are for the same name and obvious that the person cannot communicate with their people.) And yes, that long waiting period is quite annoying, cause you just have to be patient and remember to update everyone once it officially takes effect. Bleh.
I hated when they changed our area code. It was such crap. But at least they didnt’ stick us with some dumb grace period. We knew it was going to happen on January First the next year and it happened.
What utter crap. I say you send the government officials who thought of this red clown noses so they can be properly attired.
Julie,
See and this is why I just do not comprehend why we have the waiting period. If we can’t update now, like we’re supposed to, and have to wait until everything is fully implemented, well what was the point? I’m still going to be running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to update everything. Only it’ll be worse because at that point, if I’m not fast enough to get everything updated people, companies, and what not won’t be able to get in touch with me. =/
Mari,
Ah you were lucky then. See, everyone knew it was “going into effect” in July. But when July rolled around and they dropped that bomb about the grace period and partial affect it sounded nice. But when you tried to change your number and update it like a good citizen you found out you couldn’t. Even now, months later, still nothing doing. It’s frustrating as hell because every new service I sign up with is one more I have to remember to go back to at a later date and fix. x_X