California's new 760 area code becomes mandatory 9/27

      SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 1997--Effective September 27, anyone who wants to complete a call into the 760 area code, serving northern San Diego County and several other Southern California Counties, will only be able to do so by dialing the 760 area code.

          Anyone not dialing the 760 area code will receive a recorded message reminding them of the area code change.  The reminder will last for three months.

          The 760 area code was created through a split of the 619 area code in March of 1997.

          For the last six months, a "get acquainted" dialing period has enabled callers to use either the old 619 or new 760 when completing a call to customers in the new 760 area code.  Also, for the last six months, people in the 619 and 760 area codes could call between the two area codes using seven digits.  That arrangement will end September 26; and starting September 27 customers will have to dial 1 + the area code and the seven-digit number to dial between the 619 and 760 area codes.

A reminder of important details:

Area Code Boundaries

          -- Former 619 area code customers in the northern part of San Diego County and several other Southern California counties must begin using the 760 instead of the 619 as their area code beginning September 27.  Cities in this area include: Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Ramona and the majority of Encinitas (San Diego County), El Centro, Brawley, Calexico (Imperial County), Palm Springs, Indio, Blythe (Riverside County), Twentynine Palms, Needles, Baker, Victorville, Barstow (San Bernardino County), Shoshone, Death Valley Junction, Lone Pine and Bishop (Inyo County), Crestview and Bridgeport (Mono County), Ridgecrest, Inyokern, Lake Isabella and California City (Kern County) and Kernville (Tulare County).

          -- Existing 619 area code customers in the southern portion of San Diego County will keep the 619 area code.  Cities in this area include San Diego (except the San Pasqual Valley which will be served by the 760 area code), Chula Vista, National City, Coronado, Del Mar, Solana Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, Lakeside, Alpine, Pine Valley, Jacumba and Campo.

Price of Calls Will Not Be Affected

          California Code Administrator Doug Hescox, who oversees area code relief efforts on behalf of the statewide telecommunications industry, said the introduction of the 760 area code will not affect the price of telephone calls.  "Call distance determines call price. What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the area code change."  He also said the area code's introduction will not affect customers' seven-digit phone numbers.  "Only the area code portion of their phone number will change."

          Hescox said the 760 area code was created to meet the seemingly insatiable demand for new phone numbers being seen not only in San Diego, but across the state.  "Californians are continuing to use telephone numbers at record rates," he said.  "California already has 17 area codes and will need to add six more through 1998 to keep pace with customer demand for new phone numbers.  Two primary factors driving that demand are local telephone service competition and the high-technology explosion.  With the onset of widespread competition in California's local telephone market, each new provider requires its own supply of phone numbers.  Further, the rising demand for fax machines, pagers, cellular phones, modems for Internet access and other high-tech equipment also is increasing the demand for phone numbers," he said. 

Things to Remember

Change stationery, notify friends and associates

          Hescox noted that it's important to remember, if you haven't already done so, to make important changes including:

          -- Change stationery, business cards and advertising to reflect the new area code

          -- Notify friends, relatives, business clients and customers of the new area code

          -- Update fax machine group calling lists that have numbers affected by the change

          -- Reprogram speed dialers, auto dialers, alarms and PBXs to reflect the change (contact your equipment vendor for assistance)

          -- Reprogram outdial lists on personal computers that have numbers affected by the change

          -- Check with their wireless phone and paging service providers to see if reprogramming is required

      "People in the 619 and 760 area codes need to remember that the area code change affects both area codes," Hescox said.  "For instance, people in the 619 who had fax machine group calling lists into the 760 area code based on seven digits will have to reprogram these lists to include 1 + the 760 area code.  The same is true for people in the 760 who now will need to dial 1 + 619 to reach people in the 619 area code."

Make Sure Equipment Can Accommodate the New Area Code

          The new 760 area code is part of a series of new-style area codes introduced in North America beginning in 1995 that can be any three digits from 220 to 999.  It is the second of these new codes introduced in California.  This has special implications for certain types of telecommunications equipment, which must be reprogrammed to recognize the new-style area codes, Hescox said.  "Historically, area codes always had either '1'or '0' as the middle digit for identification purposes, but by 1995 all of those codes had been assigned.  However, certain types of telecommunications equipment were built to look for that middle digit of '1' or '0' to process the call.

          "Because of this, it's important for customers to know that PBX (private phone) systems, auto-dialers, alarms and other telecommunications equipment may have to be re-programmed to recognize these new-style area codes in order for calls to complete," said Hescox.  People should check with their vendors to see if their equipment needs to be updated.  Business customers are also reminded to notify their customers of the area code change.  "That way, they can modify their PBX systems so they can place calls to the new 760 area code," Hescox said.

          The new 760 area code is expected to accommodate the need for new phone numbers for about eight years, while the reconfigured 619 area code is expected to have enough telephone numbers to last until May 1999.

          In 1995, the California Public Utilities Commission ordered a geographic split of the 619 area code to meet the need for more phone numbers.  A group of city and county government officials from the affected areas proposed the area code boundaries, which were later approved by the Commission.

      CONTACT:

      Fleishman-Hillard Inc.

      Chris Kniestedt, 916/441-7606