Press Release

Geographic Split Plan Approved for New York's 716 Calling Area
585 will be the New Area Code

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 05, 2001)--- North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) announced today that a new area code (585)---has been assigned to the western part of New York State.

The assignment of the new 585 area code for western New York comes after the FCC approved a geographic split plan along county boundaries on March 16, 2001 for relief of the 716 area code.

Telephone customers in Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Allegany, Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Yates, and Steuben counties will receive the new 585 area code. Customers in Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties and the Tonawanda and Oil Springs Indian Reservations will retain the 716 area code. The boundary line of the geographic split runs north and south and is drawn to the east of Niagara, Erie, and Cattaraugus counties.

On May 22, 2000, the New York Public Service Commission ordered the geographic split plan and now since the new 585 area code has been assigned, planning for implementation of the new area code is underway. Activation dates will be finalized during telecommunications implementation meetings by the end of April 2001.

Once the new area code is implemented, calls made from the 716 area code to those counties in the new 585 area code will require 1+10 digit dialing (1+area code+phone number). Tentatively, customers may begin using the new 585 area code on November 15, 2001.

Sandra Boclair, NANPA's area code relief planner for the Eastern Region, which includes New York, said the introduction of the new 585 is needed due to an increase in competition in the local phone service market and the growing demand by the public for additional telephone numbers.

Boclair said the addition of the new area code in New York will not affect the cost of telephone calls. "Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed," she noted.

When changing to a new area code, customers should remember to do the following, if their old area code is currently used in their programming and materials:

• Change stationery, business cards and advertising to reflect the correct area code.
• Update fax machine group calling lists.
• Reprogram speed dialers, auto dialers, alarms and PBX (private phone systems).
• Reprogram out dial lists on personal computers.
• Update or reprogram private-dial entry access systems.

A telecommunications industry group, comprised of service providers from various industry segments, collectively develops and recommends area code relief plans for New York State. Relief activities for the area codes in New York are administered by NeuStar, Inc., which was selected by the Federal Communications Commission to serve as the NANPA.

NANPA is the neutral, third party administrator that works with the telecommunications industry in developing area code relief plans. NANPA also oversees the assignment of area codes, three-digit central office codes, carrier identification codes, and other numbering resources throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda and many of the Caribbean islands.

NeuStar, Inc. is an independent company that provides neutral, third-party clearinghouse services to the communications industry.

Visit NANPA online at www.nanpa.com.

For media inquiries, please contact Bill Stern, spokesman for the North American Numbering Plan Administration, at 202-533-2648.