Press Release

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) continued its efforts to slow the exhaustion of area codes by ordering two telephone companies to return approximately 20,000 inactive and unused telephone numbers at last week’s public meeting. The companies are Teligent Inc. of Vienna, Va., and TSR Wireless of Fort Lee, N.J.

"We believe taking this action is critical to addressing the escalating number of new area codes that affect consumers and telephone carriers", said PUC Chairman Glen R. Thomas. "Since February, the commission has sought the return of 670,000 unused phone numbers."

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its efforts to conserve numbers, gave state commissions the authority to reclaim a NXX code in a given area code that has not been assigned to a customer in six months. NXX codes are the first three digits of a phone number following the area code. Each one contains approximately 10,000 phone numbers.

The PUC has ordered Teligent to return unused and inactive telephone numbers in the 324 NXX code of the 267 area code. TSR Wireless has been ordered to return the 405 NXX code in the 814 area code.

By reclaiming the unused telephone numbers in blocks of 10,000 numbers, the PUC is able to return the blocks to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), which can then reassign the numbers to another carrier, ensuring the more efficient use of numbers. The NANPA is the FCC unit responsible for distributing area codes.

The rapid proliferation of area codes in Pennsylvania and across the country is a result of telecommunications companies having to operate within an outdated telephone network structure. Companies can receive numbers only in blocks of 10,000 whether they have 100 or 9,000 customers. Once the 10,000 numbers are given to a telecommunications carrier, they are unavailable for assignment to another carrier.

For recent news releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet homepage: http://puc.paonline.com.