Press Release

New Area Codes Assigned to Indiana's 219 Calling Area
260 and 574 Will Be New Area Codes in Geographic Split Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 3, 2001) - Indiana's 219 area code, which covers the northern part of the state and borders Illinois and Ohio, will receive two new area codes - 260 and 574 - as part of a three-way geographic split plan, according to NeuStar, Inc., which serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).

The determination of which area retains the 219 area code and which receive the new codes will be determined by a random selection process, to be conducted by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission later this month. Area "A", the westernmost part of the new area codes, borders Illinois and includes the cities of Gary and Portage. Area "B", the central portion, includes the cities of Elkhart, Logansport and South Bend. Area "C", the eastern segment, borders Ohio, and includes the city of Fort Wayne.

The assignment of the new 260 and 574 area codes comes after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the three-way geographic split plan for area code relief on June 14. The introduction of the 260 and 574 area codes will not affect the price of telephone calls. Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed.

To introduce the new 260 and 574 area codes, a six-month "permissive dialing" period will begin December 15, 2001 and run through June 14, 2002. During the permissive dialing period, calls made from outside the area can use either the 219, 260 or 574 area codes when completing a call to customers in the current 219 calling area. Customers are encouraged to start using the 10-digit phone number (area code+phone number) when calling to the new 260 and 574 regions during the permissive dialing period.

Once mandatory dialing begins, callers will need to use the correct area code to complete their calls. After June 14, 2002, callers who do not use the new area code will receive a recorded message reminding them that the area code has changed. They will then be required to redial the number using the proper area code. Customers in the new 260 and 574 area codes will still be able to make calls to other numbers in their respective area codes by dialing just the seven-digit number.

George Light, NANPA's area code relief planner for the Central Region, including Indiana, said the introduction of the split area codes is needed due to an increase in competition in the local phone service market, the growing demand by the public for additional telephone numbers, and a technical requirement in the phone network that allocates phone numbers in blocks of 10,000.

When switching to or adding a new area code, Mr. Light said there are several items customers should remember including:

• Changing stationery, business cards and advertising to reflect the correct area code if not already shown.
• Updating fax machine group calling lists.
• Reprogramming speed dialers, auto dialers, alarms and PBX (private phone systems)
• Reprogramming out-dial lists on personal computers.
• Updating or reprogramming private-dial entry access systems.

Area code relief activities are administered by NeuStar, which was selected by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve as the NANPA. NANPA is a neutral, third-party administrator that works with the telecommunications industry in developing area code relief plans and also oversees the assignment of area codes, three-digit central office codes, carrier identification codes, and other numbering resources throughout the U.S, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 Caribbean countries.

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