A new "236" area code is being introduced in British Columbia to combat the province's telephone number shortage.
The area code will apply to new telephone numbers assigned as of June 1, 2013, according to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission.
Existing customers will keep their current area codes and phone numbers.
Without a new area code, the Canadian Numbering Administrator has estimated that B.C. would run out of telephone numbers by August 2016.
The "604" area code was the only one available in the province until 1996, when "250" was introduced. Area code "778" and 10-digit dialing were introduced in 2001.
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