Okay, what is >>intra-LATA as well as inter-LATA
and the telephone company (this is back in the days of Ma Bell) anticipated the need for more area codes.. 718 was held in reserve, and 917, as well. i know these because they are local, i know there were others as well.
Direct dialing was available in 1960's in major metropolitan areas (that is direct dialing of long distance numbers) by the early 1970's you could direct dial station to station international calls. I remember calling Dublin when my son was born, circa 1973.
speaking of regulations, in most areas, the telephone charged extra for touch tone service, even though it saved them a ton of money. it was offered as a new improved service. and direct dial of long distance was only slightly cheaper than having the operator place the call, but that too, earned the telephone company money, since you could no longer make phantom person to person calls, to confirm your safe arrival at a distant location.
