Why do the outer Sydney suburbs have regional phone numbers?

Question

I've noticed that lately but don't get why's that. Like for Campbelltown and Penrith, the numbers start with a '4' in contrast to '8' or '9' in other suburbs.

Answer 1

In NSW, exchanges can be classified as

"metro" - 028xxxxxxx, 029xxxxxxx

"regional 1" - 024xxxxxxx

"regional 2" - 026xxxxxxx

I think they use them to price differentiate their services, such as DSL or phone connections, but I think few companies ever do thesedays.

Also for telstra I think if you call between these two numbers it's classified as an STD call.

Example 1: calling from 024xxxxxx to 026xxxxxxx std call

Example 2: calling from 026xxxxxxx to 029xxxxxxxx std call

Example 3: calling from 024xxxxxxx to 028xxxxxxxxx std call

Example 4: calling from 029xxxxxxxx to 028xxxxxxxxx local call

Example 5: calling from 029xxxxxxxxx to 029xxxxxxxxx local call.

Although from memory, if you call from a number

029xxxxxxxx to 024xxxxxxxx and the exchanges are less than 15km away or something, its a local call (asked Testra one day, I think from my memory that's what they said)

No way a call from Minto to Leumeah is a STD call.

(minto = 029xxxxx leumeah = 024xxxxxxx, distance between suburbus = less than 2k's)

Answer 2

Because our telecommunications system is flawed and antiquated! =)

Answer 3

Those areas were STD calls (may still be) and had a separate area code to Sydney before 02 became the code for the whole of NSW.  When the switch from 7 digit to 8 digit numbers happened the last digit of the old area code dropped off and was added to the front of the new number.