Telephone number format

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Telephone number format

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1davidt8
Edited: Jan 9, 2009, 3:38 pm

Is there a standard format for telephone numbers here in LT?

I use 215-440-3400, but I also see 215.440.3400 and (215) 440-3400 in other entries.

2AnnaClaire
Jan 9, 2009, 2:11 pm

I like (215) 440-3400, with the area code in parenthases. Though this hasn't been the case here in New York City for years, in most places the area code is only needed if you're calling from a different one. (At least in theory. Like I said, it's been a long time since this was the case where I live.)

Of the other two flavors, I'd rather see 215-440-3400, which is more in keeping with other data formats on LT (like dates), and -- I think -- for phone numbers on other sites.

3SqueakyChu
Edited: Jan 9, 2009, 3:19 pm

I started out correcting them all to hyphens when working in Local, but that got tedious after a while. In addition, I found that many people doing data entry here were inconsistent with them.

Correcting phone numbers to all hyphens creates more room for error if one is doing many entries from cut-and-paste information. There is no consistent use of phone format from website to website. I'll be happy to comply with whatever is agreed upon as *the* format.

4lilithcat
Edited: Jan 9, 2009, 3:28 pm

I tend to copy-and-paste from the venue's site, so, unless I'm in the mood to edit, the format is going to be whatever format the venue chose.

5sabreuse
Jan 9, 2009, 3:38 pm

>2 AnnaClaire:, as more and more people move to using cell phones primarily (or even exclusively), those of us outside of NYC also have to dial the area code on all calls. Given that it's no longer the optional thing it used to be, I definitely find the XXX-YYY-ZZZZ string faster to read.

6SqueakyChu
Edited: Jan 9, 2009, 3:42 pm

I definitely find the XXX-YYY-ZZZZ string faster to read

Yeah, but how about faster to data enter? :)

7sabreuse
Jan 9, 2009, 3:51 pm

>6 SqueakyChu:, fastest is lilithcat's by-the-grace-of-c&p method, of course. But 111-222-3333 is definitely quicker to type without errors than (111) 222-3333. The latter has all those shifted keys and spaces and such.

8SqueakyChu
Jan 9, 2009, 5:08 pm

--> 7

Cut-and-paste is even faster!

9sabreuse
Jan 9, 2009, 5:33 pm

>8 SqueakyChu:, that's what I said!

10lampbane
Feb 22, 2009, 4:06 pm

I prefer hyphens and change entries when I come across them.

11andyl
Feb 22, 2009, 6:16 pm

#10

Only US ones I hope. Phone numbers are formatted differently in different countries.

12lampbane
Feb 23, 2009, 9:48 am

I know that. I don't touch foreign numbers.