The Bell interests of the late 1870s began to exploit their telephone patent with a rental scheme, where their products were rented to customers who would contract with other suppliers for a connection. Both Bell and Western Union

Area Codes And Phone Number Controversy - by Dan Krasky
Cell phones and voice-over-IP services have increased the demand for phone numbers and area codes. This has caused phone numbering to change over time... but this change hasn't come without controversy.

International Phone Number And Country Code Standardization - by Dan Krasky

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has been working for many years to promote common standards among countries, including numbering plans, as they currently have varying formats all around the globe.

However, recommendations made by the ITU are not binding on