Press Release

Mandatory Dialing Begins December 11 for 858 Area Code
New Area Code Assigned to 619 in 3-Way Split Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 10, 1999) - Mandatory dialing of the new 858 area code, which is the first phase of a three-way area code split in Southern California's 619 area code, will be implemented on December 11, according to the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).

Once mandatory dialing starts, callers must use the correct area code to complete their calls. If the wrong area code is dialed, a recorded message will announce that the area code has changed. Callers will have to re-dial the number, using the correct area code. The recorded message will remain on the line until March 11, 2000.

Permissive dialing for the first phase of the split plan - the 858 area code in the northern portion of 619 - began June 12,1999. During that time, callers could use both the 619 and 858 area codes when making calls outside the respective calling areas.

The three-way split plan was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on June 4, 1998. The approved boundaries split the existing 619 region into three portions: northern, central and eastern. The 619 area code will be retained in the central portion. The northern portion will receive the 858 area code and the eastern portion will receive the new 935 area code on June 10, 2000.

The new 858 area code encompasses the northern portion of the three-way split and includes Rancho Sante Fe, Solano Beach, Del Mar, La Jolla, Poway and the northern portion of the City of San Diego.

The central portion, which retains the 619 area code, includes the downtown areas of San Diego and small parts of Lemon Grove and National City. The eastern portion - receiving the new 935 area code - includes Coronado, La Mesa, Chula Vista, Lakeside, El Cajon, Alpine, Pine Valley, Campo, Jacumba, Imperial Beach, Santee, the majority of both Lemon Grove, National City and the southern portion of the City of San Diego.

The introduction of the 858 area code will not affect the price of telephone calls.

Joe Cocke, NANPA's senior area code relief planner for the Western Region, including California, said the introduction of the new 858 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 allocates phone numbers in blocks of 10,000.

A telecommunications industry group, comprised of various industry segments, collectively developed the area code relief plan for California's 858 area code. Area code relief activities for the 619, 858 and 935 area codes are administered by Neustar, Inc., 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.

Neustar, Inc., is an independent, stand-alone company that provides neutral, third-party clearinghouse services to the telecommunications industry. Neustar, Inc., was formerly known as the Communications Industry Services (CIS) group within Lockheed Martin IMS.

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