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Phone Revolution in Oz

        From now until Christmas, Melburnians will be double trunking.
Australia is in the throes of a massive telecommunications revolution which
will multiply the capacity of the system at least 10 times when it is
completed by 1998.
        For the next eight months they (Melburnians) can use their present
number and their new number.  Anyone accidently using the old number will
be automatically connected to the new number at no extra charge.
Also there will be a period of three months from next Febuary when if
someone dials the old number they will receive a recorded message advising
them of a number change, but this message will not contain the new number.

        Fortunately the change is a minor one:  In Melbourne the new number
is the same as the old except there will be a 9 in front of it.
Melbourne's  area code will remain 03 and will, in fact, spread over
Victoria and Tasmania, replacing the current three digit area codes in the
regions.

        But, in rural Victoria the situation is more complicated.
For example, the area for Mornington will change from 059 to 03.  The last
two digits of the area code will be put in front of the local number.
For example, 75 XXXX will become 5975 XXXX.
So for most Victorians, and Australians, the change to their phone numbers
will be an extra one or two digits added to the front of their curent local
number.

        Sydney, parts of which have already changed, will be progressively
switching to the new system from late July in three stages to July next
year. Brisbane will change over in July this year, Darwin in May next year,
Adelaide in August next year.  Hobart, which has partly converted will be
completed in November next year, Perth in September 1997 and Canberra in
Febuary 1998.