Press Release

Geographic Split Plan Approved for Florida's 561 Calling Area
772 will be the New Area Code

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 4, 2001)-- The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) announced today that a new area code---(772)---has been assigned to Florida's Treasure Coast calling area.

The current 561 area code is projected to exhaust in the fourth quarter of 2002 and the area has been assigned the 772 area code. Specific activation dates and customer education plans for the new geographic split plan will be determined at a later date. More detailed information for customers will be available at that time.

The 561 area code will continue to serve existing customers in Palm Beach County and a small portion of Martin County. Customers in the remaining calling areas currently served by the 561 area code will receive the new 772 area code. The areas receiving the 772 area code include all, or part of, St. Lucie County, Martin County, Indian River County, and a portion of Brevard County. Several alternatives were considered for relief of the 561 calling area. The Florida Public Service Commission approved the geographic split relief plan late last year. The FCC ordered NANPA to assign the new area code earlier last week.

The introduction of the 772 area code begins with a "permissive" dialing period. The exact date will be communicated to individual customers by the local telephone companies in the Florida area. During this "permissive" dialing period, customers can use either the 561 or the new 772 area code to place calls to the new area code calling areas. In addition, customers can also place any local calls between the 561 and the new 772 calling areas by dialing just seven-digits during the permissive period.

Once mandatory dialing of the 772 area code begins, callers must use the correct area code to complete their calls. In addition, customers will have to use 10-digit dialing (area code + seven-digit telephone number) on all local calls between area codes. After the mandatory dialing begins, 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 correct area code. Customers in the new 772 area code will be able to make local calls to other numbers in the 772 area code by dialing just the seven-digit number. Long distance calls will continue to be dialed as before.

Thomas C. Foley, NANPA's area code relief planner for the Eastern Region, which includes Florida, said the introduction of the new 772 area code 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 currently allocates phone numbers in blocks of 10,000.

Foley said the addition of the new area code for the Treasure Coast would not affect the cost of telephone calls. "Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed," he noted.

Area code relief activities in Florida 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 and NeuStar, Inc. at www.neustar.com.

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