Press Release

Relief Required in Southern California's 626 and 949 Area Codes

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sep. 9, 1999) - New area codes will be added in Southern California, possibly within the next 30 months, in Los Angeles County's 626 area code and in Orange County's 949 area code, according to according to the Communications Industry Services (CIS) division of Neustar, Inc., which serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).

Area code relief is needed for the 626 and 949 area codes 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.

NANPA officials are meeting with representatives from the California telecommunications industry to discuss relief alternatives for the 626 and 949 area codes. Those alternatives will be discussed with local elected officials before being presented to the public.

Within the next nine months public meetings, facilitated by NANPA, will be held to receive public comment and input regarding the area code relief plans. NANPA will meet again with the telecommunications industry to review the public input before forwarding the industry's recommendation to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which will have final approval for the plan.

Area code relief could take the form of a geographic split or an overlay. If a split is approved, the existing area code would be split, forming at least one new area code. Only phone customers in the new split area would receive the new area code. With an overlay, the new area code is applied to new phone customers and covers the entire geographic area as the existing area code. In addition, 11-digit dialing (1+ area code + phone number) is automatically required with an overlay.

Area code relief plans will not affect the cost of placing a call.

Phone customers in the 626 area code, which includes the San Gabriel Valley within Los Angeles County, could receive a new area code as early as first quarter 2002. The 626 area code includes communities such as Alhambra, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, West Covina, El Monte, Glendora, Irwindale, La Puente, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Gabriel, and Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County.

The 949 area code, which could also receive a new area code as early as first quarter 2002, includes the southern portion of Orange County. Cities and communities, such as Aliso Viejo, Balboa, Capistrano Beach, Corona del Mar, Dana Point, El Toro, Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach, Leisure World, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Trabuco Canyon, Woodbridge, part of Costa Mesa and most of Irvine, are also included in the 949 area code.

Area code relief activities for the 626 and 949 area codes 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.