Press Release

    Harrisburg, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission today affirmed its Tentative Order of March 4, 1998, with modifications, on area code relief for the 215 and 610 area code regions of southeastern Pennsylvania.

    While the Commission’s Tentative Order had prescribed the creation of one new area code, the Commission finally adopted a plan to create two new area codes for southeastern Pennsylvania. Both area codes will be implemented by an overlay. This means that the current geographic area code regions of 215 and 610 will retain their existing boundaries and all customers will retain their current area codes. With an overlay, only customers receiving new telephone numbers will be assigned one of the new area codes.

    One new area code will be identical to the present 215 area code region, and the second new code will be identical to the 610 region. The national Numbering Plan Administrator will assign the actual code number to each of the overlays.

    Since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated 10 digit dialing when an overlay is employed to create a new area code, all customers must use all 10 digits for every call made after full implementation of the two overlays is completed. The permissive dialing period during which customers will be permitted to continue 7 digit dialing, will begin Dec. 5, 1998, and end June 5, 1999. After June 5, final implementation will be completed, and a customer dialing 7 digits will receive a recording advising that 10 digit dialing is now mandatory. The PUC has ordered that all 215 and 610 customers shall receive billing inserts to educate them about the change.

    Although 10 digit dialing is mandatory, calls that are presently local calls will remain local calls and toll calls will remain toll calls. Calls both originating and terminating within the 215, 610 and the two new area code regions will not require callers to use the "1" prefix before dialing the 10 digit number.

    A copy of this order and Commissioner statements are available on the PUC’s web page (http://puc.paonline.com).

OF MAY 21, 1998

The Commission affirmed its Tentative Order of March 4, 1998 to create a new area code in southeastern Pennsylvania with the following modifications:

Two new area codes will be created instead of one.

Both area codes will be implemented by an overlay. This means that the current geographic area code regions of 215 and 610 will retain existing boundaries. All 215 and 610 area code customers will retain their current codes. However, customers receiving new telephone numbers will likely be assigned a new area code.

One new area code will be identical to the present 215 area code region. The second new area code will be identical to the present 610 area code region.

After the final implementation of both overlays, ALL telephone calls will have to be made by dialing 10 digits.

Calls that are local calls now will remain local calls, and toll calls will remain toll calls regardless of 10 digit dialing.

Calls both originating and terminating within these four area codes will not require callers to use the "1" prefix before dialing the 10 digit number. Calls to other parts of the state or country will still require the use of the "1" prefix.

Implementation Schedule:

Permissive Dialing Period begins December 5, 1998.

Ends June 5, 1999, at which time 10 digit dialing begins for all calls.

After June 5 - if you dial 7 digits, you will receive a recording advising you to dial 10 digits to complete the call.