Callers who mistakenly dial the wrong area code will hear a recorded message that asks them to hang up and dial again with the correct code.

The 580 area code will be fully implemented by midnight. Oklahomans have had a five-month period to get used to using the new area codes.

The new code covers the Panhandle, northwestern, western and southern areas of the state. It was carved out of the 405 area code territory because of increased demand for phone numbers for pagers, cellular phones, fax machines and computers.

"The transition has gone pretty smoothly, and this is just another transitional step," said Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode. "Oklahoma just ran out of numbers. This is a good indicator of growth and modernization within the state."

Without the new area code, phone numbers in the 405 region would have been exhausted early this year, Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. said. The 405 region will continue for the central Oklahoma area, including the metropolitan Oklahoma City area.

The 918 area code region in northeastern Oklahoma isn't affected.

The switch affects 236 telephone exchanges in the state.

The recorded reminder of the new area code will be used until June 1. After that, a misdialed call will reach an incorrect number or no number.

The code addition will not affect 911 services, long-distance charges or local service rates, the state Corporation Commission said. If a call was a local call before the new code, it will continue to be a local call.

[Hispanic Heritage][Goodlife Magazine]
[Generation Y Online][Newspaper in Education][Amarillo Business Journal]
[The WIRE][Morris Publications]

We'd love to hear your feedback.

© 1998 Amarillo Globe-News

Webmaster