Press Release

New "Overlay" Relief Plans Approved for Pontiac, Detroit Metro, and Ann Arbor 248, 313 and 734 area codes to receive overlay area codes mid-2001

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 9, 1999) - Three new overlay area codes have been assigned to Michigan's 248, 313 and 734 area codes, according to the Communications Industry Services (CIS) group of NeuStar, Inc., which serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).

The 248 area code has been assigned the 947 overlay code, and the 313 and 734 area codes will get 679 and 278, respectively. The new overlay area code will serve the same geographic area as the current area code.

Area code relief plans for Michigan were recommended in July by a telecommunications industry group, which considered several alternatives for relief for the three area codes before reaching agreement on the overlays. These overlays are not the first approved for Michigan. The 810 area code in Metro Detroit recently received the state's first overlay area code, 586, which will begin May 6, 2000.

Overlay Area Codes
In an overlay area code, a second area code is added to the same geographic area as the existing area code. All existing numbers retain the current area code, while new telephone customers for local phone service, cellular and paging services, and alarms, may be assigned a telephone number in the new overlay area code.

In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that all telephone calls made in an overlay area code use 10-digit (area code + seven-digit phone number) or 1+10-digit dialing (1+ area code + seven-digit phone number). This requirement applies to calls currently dialed with seven digits in the existing area code and even those within the same area code. The new dialing requirements for Michigan's overlay area codes vary among the different telephone service providers, who will educate their customers to the specific dialing plan, whether its 10-digits or 1+10 digits.

In addition to Michigan, overlay area codes have been implemented in several large cities across the United States, including Chicago, Denver, Miami, Atlanta, Houston and Dallas. The entire state of Maryland has two overlays, thus requiring 1+10 digit dialing throughout the state. Currently, there are 13 active overlay area codes in eight states.

Introduction of Michigan's Overlays
To introduce the new overlay area codes, a 3-4-month "optional dialing" period will occur for each of the three overlays. During this period, customers calling from within the existing areas can dial either the seven-, 10- or 1+10 digit telephone number, and are encouraged to begin dialing 10 digits or 1+ 10 digits on all calls, to get used to the new dialing plan for the 248/947, 313/679 and 734/278 area codes.

At the end of the "optional dialing" periods, callers must use the new 10-digit or 1+10-digit dialing to complete their calls. Callers who don't use the new dialing pattern will receive a recorded message reminding them to dial 10 digits or 1+10 digits. They will then be required to redial the number.

The table below summarizes the optional and required dialing periods for the three area codes and the overlays.

Existing Area Code	New Overlay Area Code	Optional Dialing Begins	Required Dialing Begins
734	278	July 8, 2000	Nov. 4, 2000
313	679	Nov. 4, 2000	Feb. 3, 2001
248	947	Feb. 3, 2001	May 5, 2001

Sandy Tokarek, NANPA's senior area code relief planner for the Central Region, including Michigan, said the introduction of the new overlay 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.

Tokarek said the addition of the new overlay area codes will not affect the price of telephone calls. "Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed," she noted.

Things To Remember
When switching to or adding a new area code, Tokarek 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 to include 10-digit or 1+10-digit phone numbers
• Reprogramming speed dialers, auto dialers, alarms, and PBX (private phone systems)
• Reprogramming outdial lists on personal computers to include 10 digits or 1+10-digits
• Updating or reprogramming private-dial entry access systems for 10-digits or 1+10-digits.

A telecommunications industry group comprised of more than 15 companies collectively developed the area code relief plan for the 248/947, 313/679 and 734/278 overlays in Michigan. Area code relief activities are administered by CIS, 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 United States, 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.