Press Release

New "Overlay" Relief Plan for 704 Area Code 980 to be North Carolina's First Overlay Area Code

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 27, 1999) - A new overlay area code - 980 - has been assigned to North Carolina's 704 area code, which covers the Piedmont area around Charlotte, according to the Communications Industry Services (CIS) group of Neustar, Inc., which serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).

The new 980 area code, the first overlay for North Carolina, was recently ordered by the North Carolina Utilities Commission to provide relief for the 704 area code, and will serve the same geographic area as the current 704 area code. Implementation dates for the new 980 overlay area code have not been determined, but will be announced in early October.

In an overlay area code, a second area code is added to the same geographic area as the existing area code. All existing numbers will retain the 704 area code, but new subscribers for local phone service, cellular, and paging services, for example, assigned in the same area may receive the new 980 area code.

In addition, all telephone calls made in the 704/980 overlay area will require 10-digit dialing (area code + seven-digit phone number). This includes calls currently dialed with seven digits in the 704 area code, calls dialed within the same area code, and those made between the 704 area code and the new 980 area code.

To introduce the new 980 overlay area code, a "permissive dialing" period will be established that will allow customers calling from within the 704 area to dial either the seven- or 10-digit telephone number. When the permissive dialing period begins, customers are encouraged to begin dialing 10 digits on all calls, to get used to the new dialing plan for the 704 and 980 area codes.

At the end of the "permissive dialing" period, callers must use the new 10-digit dialing pattern to complete their calls within the 704 and 980 area codes. Callers who don't use the new dialing pattern will receive a recorded message reminding them to dial 10 digits. They will then be required to hang up and redial the number.

Thomas C. Foley, NANPA's area code relief planner for the Eastern Region, including North Carolina, said the introduction of the new 980 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.

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

• Changing stationery, business cards, and advertising to include the correct area code, if not already shown Reprogramming alarm monitoring devices to accommodate the 10-digit dialing (contact alarm service providers)
• Updating fax machine group calling lists to include 10-digit phone numbers
• Reprogramming speed dialers, auto dialers, and PBX (private phone systems)
• Reprogramming outdial lists on personal computers to include 10 digits
• Updating or reprogramming private-dial entry access systems for 10-digits.

Foley said the introduction of the 980 area code will not affect the price of telephone calls. "Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed," he noted.

A telecommunications industry group comprised of 16 companies collectively recommended the area code relief plan for the 704/980 overlay to the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

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. 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 16 Caribbean countries.

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