Three-Digit Prefixes Announced For
New 863 Area Code in Florida;
New Area Code Split from 941
In Portion of Peninsula

WASHINGTON, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) announced today the three-digit prefixes that have been assigned to Florida's newest area code, 863, which was formed as part of a geographic split from the 941 area code.

In May, the 941 geographic split plan was approved by the Florida Public Service Commission and the 863 area code was assigned by NANPA.

Attached is the listing of all three-digit prefixes that have been assigned to 863 and those that are remaining in 941.

Permissive dialing of the 863 area code begins Sept. 20 for customers in the counties of Polk, Hardee, Okeechobee, Highlands, Desoto, Glades and Hendry. During the permissive dialing period, which ends May 21, 2000, calls can be made using the 941 or 863 area codes. A recorded message will remind callers that the area code has changed; however, phone customers are encouraged to begin using the new 863 area code on September 20 to get accustomed to it.

At the beginning of mandatory dialing, on May 22, 2000, calls placed with the old area code may not go through. Callers will have to hang up and place the call using the new 863 area code.

The introduction of the 863 area code will not affect the price of telephone calls. Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed.

Wayne Milby, NANPA's senior area code relief planner for the Eastern Region, including Florida, said the introduction of the new 863 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.

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

• Changing stationery, business cards and advertising to reflect the correct area code if not already shown.
• Updating fax machine group calling lists.
• Reprogramming speed dialers, auto dialers, alarms and PBX (private phone systems)
• Reprogramming wireless phones.
• Reprogramming out-dial lists on personal computers.
• Updating or reprogramming private-dial entry access systems.
• Notifying friends, relatives and business acquaintances.

A telecommunications industry group, comprised of various industry segments, collectively develops area code relief plans for Florida. Area code relief activities for the 941 and 863 area codes are administered by the Communications Industry Services (CIS) group of Lockheed Martin IMS, 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. Contact your service provider if you have questions regarding this announcement.

NXX: Codes In The 941 NPA 203 313 371 460 542 641 731 790 920 204 315 372 461 543 642 732 791 921 209 316 373 463 544 643 733 792 922 215 317 374 466 545 645 734 793 923 216 319 376 468 548 649 736 794 924 218 320 377 469 549 650 737 795 925 225 321 378 470 552 652 739 796 926 226 322 379 472 553 656 740 798 927 227 323 380 473 554 657 741 806 928 228 328 383 474 555 658 742 807 929 235 329 387 475 556 659 743 820 930 246 330 388 476 560 661 744 821 931 247 331 389 477 561 662 745 822 935 248 332 391 478 564 671 746 823 936 249 333 392 479 565 672 747 825 939 250 334 393 480 566 681 748 826 940 251 335 394 481 567 684 749 827 945 252 336 395 482 569 685 750 828 947 253 337 399 483 571 689 751 829 948 255 338 403 484 572 690 752 830 949 261 339 404 485 573 691 753 833 951 262 340 405 486 574 693 754 836 952 263 341 408 487 575 694 755 841 953 264 342 410 488 584 695 756 842 954 265 343 412 489 586 697 757 845 955 267 344 415 490 587 698 758 846 957 269 345 416 492 588 702 759 847 960 270 346 417 493 590 704 761 848 961 272 347 418 495 591 705 762 849 964 273 348 423 496 592 706 764 850 966 274 349 426 497 593 707 765 851 971 275 350 429 498 594 708 766 855 972 276 351 430 503 596 713 768 856 973 277 352 431 504 597 714 769 857 974 278 353 432 505 598 715 770 860 975 279 354 433 506 613 716 771 861 977 281 355 434 507 615 717 772 865 980 282 356 435 513 620 718 774 867 982 283 358 436 514 623 719 775 890 988 286 359 437 515 624 720 776 895 989 290 360 440 516 625 721 777 905 991 296 361 442 518 626 722 778 906 992 301 362 450 522 627 723 779 907 994 302 363 451 530 628 724 780 910 995 303 364 454 532 629 725 782 912 996 304 365 455 536 631 726 783 914 997 306 366 456 538 633 727 785 915 998 308 368 457 539 636 728 787 916 999 309 369 458 540 637 729 788 917 312 370 459 541 639 730 789 918

NXX: Codes In The 863 NPA 202 419 551 664 858 206 420 557 665 859 207 421 558 666 862 217 422 559 667 864 221 424 562 668 868 224 425 563 669 869 236 427 568 670 892 237 428 570 673 902 254 438 576 674 904 256 439 577 675 944 257 441 578 676 946 258 443 581 677 956 259 444 582 678 965 271 445 583 679 967 280 446 585 680 968 284 447 589 682 983 285 448 595 683 984 287 449 599 686 987 288 452 602 687 990 289 453 603 688 993 291 462 604 692 292 464 605 696 293 465 606 699 294 467 607 701 295 471 608 703 297 491 609 709 298 494 610 712 299 499 612 735 307 501 614 738 314 502 616 763 318 508 617 767 324 509 618 773 325 512 619 781 326 517 621 784 327 519 622 797 357 521 632 802 367 523 634 815 375 524 635 816 381 525 638 819 382 526 640 824 384 527 644 832 385 528 646 834 386 529 647 835 398 531 648 837 401 533 651 838 402 534 653 839 406 535 654 840 409 537 655 843 413 546 660 844 414 547 663 853

SOURCE Lockheed Martin IMS