STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
UTILITIES COMMISSION
RALEIGH
DOCKET NO. P-100, SUB 137a
BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION
In the Matter of
Area Code Relief for North Carolina's 704 Numbering Plan Area (NPA))
)
)
ORDER REQUESTING COMMENTS AND SCHEDULING PUBLIC HEARING
BY THE COMMISSION: On January 27, 1999, Lockheed Martin IMS, in its role as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) filed with the Commission an industry recommendation for relieving the 704 numbering plan area (NPA) or area code in North Carolina. The following members of the telecommunications industry in North Carolina participated in the area code relief meeting in Charlotte on December 1, 1998, where the industry reached consensus on its recommendation: Concord Telephone Company, CT Communications, Paging Network, Inc., PageNet of America, Inc., Skyline Telephone Membership Corporation, Randolph Telephone, ALLTEL Carolina, Inc., ALLTEL Communications, Inc., Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation, North State Telephone Company, Bell Atlantic Mobile, MCI WorldCom, BellSouth Mobility DCS, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., Pagemart, Inc., Arch Communications, LEXCOM Telephone Company, AT&T Communications of the Southern States, Inc., GTE South Incorporated, and Carolina West Wireless. Members of the Commission Staff and the Public Staff attended the meeting as observers.
The NANPA's filing states that the 704 area code in North Carolina is projected to exhaust during the first quarter of 2001, which has created a need for an additional area code. At the meeting held in Charlotte on December 1, 1998, industry participants considered several relief alternatives to furnish relief before exhaust of the 704 NPA. The participants reached consensus to recommend an overlay over the entire 704 geographic area as the most suitable relief plan for the 704 area code. The NANPA states that, in planning for the introduction of a new area code, the NANPA and the industry used the industry NPA Code Relief Planning and Notification Guidelines (Industry Numbering Committee 97-0404-016) (Industry Guidelines). This document can be accessed at the following web site maintained by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS): www.atis.org/atis/clc/inc/incdocs.htm. The NANPA states that these guidelines assist the NANPA, the industry, and regulatory authorities with assumptions, constraints, and planning principles to be used in area code relief planning efforts.
According to NANPA's filing, the 1998 Central Office Code Utilization Survey (COCUS) data indicates that the 704 area code is projected to exhaust during the first quarter of 2001. To allow sufficient time to prepare for area code relief to prevent number exhaust, all affected industry members of the 704 area code and the North Carolina Utilities Commission were notified by the NANPA in a letter dated October 13, 1998 of the need for area code relief planning. The letter notified the industry of the 704 area code exhaust situation and scheduled the December 1, 1998 meeting. An Initial Planning Document (IPD) was prepared as suggested in the Industry Guidelines. The IPD included suggestions for three relief alternatives. The NANPA proposed three additional alternatives at the December 1, 1998 meeting. At the December 1, 1998 meeting, industry participants received information including geographical maps of the 704 area code, a description of each relief alternative including dialing requirements, and the projected lives of the relief alternatives in years. The NANPA states that two different growth assumptions were used to project the life of each relief alternative: (1) that code growth will continue in a straight-line direction at the current rate of assignments; and (2) that growth will continue in a straight-line direction at the current rate of assignments through the end of 2000, and then will be reduced by 50% to reflect the estimated impacts of number conservation efforts such as number pooling.
The NANPA notes that it facilitated and documented the relief planning meeting, and states that the meeting was well-attended, with various industry segments participating. D. Wayne Milby, Senior NPA Relief Planner, led a discussion regarding the NANPA transition, industry guidelines, state fact information, and the IPD. Additional relief proposals were sought from the industry, but none were proposed. According to the NANPA, the meeting participants discussed the various relief alternatives and reached unanimous consensus to omit all the alternatives from consideration except Alternative #1, an overlay. The NANPA reports that participants were uncomfortable with Alternative #2, a "concentrated growth" overlay because it is difficult to predict the accuracy of individual growth projections. Further, the participants thought that the geographic split alternatives which they considered divided the area into too many area codes. The group agreed that Alternative #1, a regular overlay distributed over the entire 704 area code, should be submitted to the Commission as the recommended alternative.
The NANPA states that Alternative #1, if selected by the Commission, would "overlay" a new area code over the 704 geographic area and use the existing 704 boundary lines. Existing customers would retain the 704 area code, and would not have to change their numbers. As telephone numbers in the 704 area code are used, new customers from all industry segments would be assigned telephone numbers from the new code. Industry participants reached consensus to recommend a ten-digit dialing plan, consistent with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation requiring ten-digit dialing between and within the old area code and the overlay code, and to recommend the elimination of all "protected codes." The NANPA states that the industry requests the Commission to determine if the overlay relief alternative best suits the needs of the 704 geographic area and to issue an Order that either conveys concurrence or directs the industry to implement some other relief method.
WHEREUPON, the Commission reaches the following
CONCLUSIONS
After careful consideration, the Commission concludes that comments should be sought from the public on the industry recommendation and any alternative proposals and that, accordingly, public notices should be sent by bill insert to all affected subscribers and should be printed in newspapers with circulation throughout the geographic territory covered by the 704 area code. Appendix A, directed to subscribers located within the 704 area code, is to be both published and sent as a bill insert to subscribers in the 704 area code. Appendix B, directed to subscribers outside the 704 area code whose dialing patterns may be affected by the relief plan, is to be sent to those subscribers as a bill insert. The Commission also concludes that a copy of this Order should be sent to the South Carolina Public Service Commission for such action it deems appropriate for companies under its jurisdiction which may be affected by changes in dialing patterns into the 704 area code.
The Commission further concludes that a public hearing should be held wherein the public and the formal parties to this proceeding may present their views on the matter of area code relief for the 704 area code. Finally, the Commission concludes that comments and reply comments should be sought from interested parties.
IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED as follows:
1. That members of the general public shall have the opportunity to file comments in accordance with the public notices attached hereto. Such comments shall be submitted not later than Wednesday, April 14, 1999. As the local exchange companies with the largest serving areas, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., ALLTEL Carolina, Inc., and Concord Telephone Company shall assume primary responsibility for assuring, with the cooperation of the other local exchange companies (LECs) and telephone membership corporations (TMCs), the publication of the public notice as set out in Appendix A in order to solicit comments from the general public concerning area code relief for area code 704 in North Carolina. Such notice shall be published in newspapers of general circulation throughout the geographic territory covered by the 704 area code and shall cover not less than 1/4 of a page. Such notice shall be published once a week for two successive weeks concluding by no later than March 15, 1999. Each LEC/TMC which publishes the attached public notice shall, not later than Friday, March 26, 1999, file affidavits regarding such newspaper publication and a list of newspapers used for publication and the dates the notice was published in each newspaper.
2. That the LECs shall send the public notice set forth as Appendix A as a bill insert to each of their respective subscribers located within the 704 area code once during the period beginning on the date of this Order and ending on April 7, 1999.
3. That the LECs shall send the public notice set forth as Appendix B as a bill insert to each of their respective subscribers who are located outside of the 704 area code but who have the capability to complete calls to points inside the 704 area code using seven-digit dialing, once during the period beginning on the date of this Order and ending on April 7, 1999.
4. That the TMCs who serve subscribers in the area affected by the proposed plan are hereby encouraged to send bill inserts comparable to those specified in Appendix A and Appendix B, reflecting any seven-digit dialing routes into the 704 area, as appropriate, to their respective subscribers during the period beginning on the date of this Order and ending on April 7, 1999.
5. That a copy of this Order shall be sent to the South Carolina Public Service Commission for such action it deems appropriate with respect to telephone companies under its jurisdiction.
6. That the formal parties to this proceeding shall file comments regarding the industry recommendation, or any alternative proposal, not later than Friday, March 26, 1999, with reply comments due no later than Monday, April 12, 1999. At a minimum, each formal party to this proceeding shall:
a. Provide an executive summary of their comments and reply comments setting out in a concise manner all material issues upon which they comment. The executive summary requirement shall apply to any comments or reply comments exceeding three pages double-spaced.
b. Set out with specificity any alterations they suggest to the industry recommendation. If any commenters recommend a geographic split for area code 704, they shall indicate which counties and exchanges comprise their proposed area codes and, to the extent practicable, the number of access lines therein. Such commenters shall also provide a map of North Carolina by county and, if possible, by exchange, showing the boundaries of any area codes they propose. Those commenters supporting the industry recommendation of an overlay shall indicate if they have any changes to the industry's proposal, and discuss the merits of the overlay as compared to a geographic split. The industry participants shall fully discuss each of the alternatives which they considered, the pros and cons of each alternative, and the reasons which caused them to choose their recommended alternative and to reject the other alternatives.
c. File comments and reply comments together with an MS-DOS formatted 3.5-inch computer diskette containing noncompressed files saved in WordPerfect format.
d. Be encouraged to file jointly.
7. That a public hearing shall be convened in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 East Fourth Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday, April 19, 1999, at 6:30 p.m., in Room 267 (Second Floor) and continuing on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at 9:00 a.m., in the Meeting Chamber (First Floor) for the purpose of receiving public comment on the matter of area code relief for the 704 area code. The evening hearing on Monday, April 19, shall be conducted for the sole purpose of receiving testimony and comments from members of the public. Members of the public who are unable to attend the evening public hearing on April 19 will also be allowed to testify on the morning of April 20. The Commission will receive testimony from all formal parties, including the industry participants, the Public Staff, Attorney General, and any other intervenors, during the April 20 hearing. The formal parties shall present a summary of their written comments and be prepared to respond to questions from the Commission.
8. That the following are hereby made formal parties to this docket: Public Staff, Attorney General, all local exchange companies, all telephone membership corporations, all competitive local providers, all interexchange carriers, and any cellular, PCS, or other wireless company which files comments. Any other person desiring to become a formal party to this docket must be granted intervention according to Commission Rules R1-3, R1-5, and R1-19.
ISSUED BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION.
This the 15th day of February, 1999.
NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION
Geneva S. Thigpen, Chief Clerk
mz021599.01
APPENDIX A
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
UTILITIES COMMISSION
RALEIGH
DOCKET NO. P-100, SUB 137a
BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION
In the Matter of
Area Code Relief for North Carolina's 704 Numbering Plan Area (NPA))
)
)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND OPPORTUNITY TO FILE WRITTEN COMMENTS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 27, 1999, the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (Commission) a recommendation made by representatives of the telecommunications industry to provide relief for the 704 area code in North Carolina. The NANPA's filing states that because of increasing demand for telephone numbers, the 704 area code is projected to exhaust or run out of telephone numbers during the first quarter of 2001. This has created a need to introduce another area code in the geographic area now covered by the 704 area code to ensure the availability of telephone numbers in the future. The number for the new area code will not be announced until after final approval of a relief plan.
TWO AREA CODES AND TEN-DIGIT DIALING
Industry representatives have recommended a "distributed overlay" as the relief plan for the 704 area code. Under the recommended plan, a new area code would be assigned to cover or "overlay" the entire 704 geographic area using the existing 704 area code boundary lines. This would result in two area codes for the same geographic area. The chief advantage of using an overlay relief plan is that existing telephone subscribers would not have to change area codes or their telephone numbers. When telephone numbers in the 704 area code run out, new residential and business telephone numbers for the area would be assigned from the new area code. The chief disadvantage of using an overlay relief plan is that all local and expanded local calls dialed using seven digits today would have to be dialed using ten digits (704 + seven-digit telephone number or new area code + seven-digit telephone number). A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation would require ten-digit dialing both between and within the 704 area code and the new overlay area code.
The Commission will also consider the extent to which existing seven-digit dialed local and expanded local routes originating outside of the 704 area code and terminating inside the 704 area code should be converted to ten-digit dialed routes.
OTHER SOLUTIONS WERE CONSIDERED
According to NANPA, the industry examined six alternatives before reaching a unanimous consensus to recommend the "distributed overlay" relief plan. One alternative was a "concentrated growth" overlay relief plan which phases in an overlay by initially imposing the new area code on only one part of the geographic area covered by the 704 area code. The other part of the geographic area would not be included in the overlay until the remaining numbers in the 704 area code have been assigned within that area. This relief plan was rejected because of the potential for customer confusion about the proper dialing patterns as the overlay is phased in and the difficulty of accurately predicting individual growth patterns of the two parts of the 704 geographic area.
Several variations of a "geographic split" relief plan were also considered. Under these plans, the geographic area covered by the 704 area code would be split into two parts. Roughly half of the affected telephone subscribers would continue to be served through the 704 area code, and half would change to the new area code. Although ten-digit dialing would not be required within area codes, most of the seven-digit dialed calling routes that exist today in the 704 area code would become ten-digit dialed calling routes in both directions if they are split by the new area code boundary. The industry rejected all geographic split relief plans because of the necessity of changing the telephone numbers of a large number of subscribers, the difficulty of predicting growth for the two areas, and potential customer confusion as the area is divided into smaller pieces.
PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD IN CHARLOTTE
After carefully considering the significant potential impacts associated with the distributed overlay area code relief plan recommended by the North Carolina telecommunications industry, the Commission is determined that all affected subscribers should have an opportunity to express their views on the recommendation. Accordingly, the Commission seeks written public comment and will conduct a public hearing beginning on Monday, April 19, 1999, at 6:30 p.m., in Room 267 on the second floor of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center at 600 E. Fourth St., in Charlotte for the purpose of receiving public comment regarding the addition of a new area code to relieve the current 704 area code. The hearing will continue on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at 9:00 a.m., in the Meeting Chamber on the first floor of the same building. The evening hearing on Monday, April 19, will be conducted for the sole purpose of receiving testimony and comments from members of the public. Members of the public who are unable to attend the evening public hearing on April 19 will also be allowed to testify on the morning of April 20. The Commission will receive testimony from all formal parties, including the industry participants, the Public Staff, Attorney General, and any other intervenors, during the April 20 hearing after public witnesses.
Persons desiring to send written statements to the Commission should submit their statements supporting or opposing the industry recommendation, or any alternative proposal, on or before April 14, 1999, and should include any information that those persons wish to be considered by the Commission in this matter. Interventions or statements should be addressed to the Chief Clerk, North Carolina Utilities Commission, Post Office Box 29510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0510. Statements may also be faxed to 919-733-7300.
The Public Staff of the Utilities Commission, through the Executive Director, is required by statue to represent the using and consuming public in proceedings before the Commission. Statements to the Executive Director should be addressed to:
Robert P. Gruber
Executive Director - Public Staff
Post Office Box 29520
Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0520
Fax: 919-733-9565
The Attorney General is also authorized by statute to represent the using and consuming public in proceedings before the Commission. Statements to the Attorney General should be addressed to:
The Honorable Michael F. Easley
Attorney General - State of North Carolina
Post Office Box 629
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-0629
Fax: 919-716-6757
ISSUED BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION.
This the 15th day of February, 1999.
NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION
Geneva S. Thigpen, Chief Clerk
APPENDIX B
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
UTILITIES COMMISSION
RALEIGH
DOCKET NO. P-100, SUB 137a
BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION
In the Matter of
Area Code Relief for North Carolina's 704 Numbering Plan Area (NPA))
)
)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND OPPORTUNITY TO FILE WRITTEN COMMENTS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 27, 1999, the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (Commission) a recommendation made by representatives of the telecommunications industry to provide relief for the 704 area code in North Carolina. The NANPA's filing states that because of increasing demand for telephone numbers, the 704 area code is projected to exhaust or run out of telephone numbers during the first quarter of 2001. This has created a need to introduce another area code in the geographic area now covered by the 704 area code to ensure the availability of telephone numbers in the future. The number for the new area code will not be announced until after final approval of a relief plan. Introduction of a new area code in the 704 area may affect the way you dial calls to that area.
SOME OF YOUR SEVEN-DIGIT CALLS MAY BECOME TEN-DIGIT CALLS
The Commission is considering a recommendation from the industry to adopt a "distributed overlay" as the relief plan for the 704 area code. Under the recommended plan, a new area code would be assigned to cover or "overlay" the entire 704 geographic area using the existing 704 area code boundary lines. This would result in two area codes for the same geographic area. Existing telephone subscribers would not have to change area codes or their telephone numbers, but when telephone numbers in the 704 area code run out, new residential and business telephone numbers for the area would be assigned from the new area code. A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation would require ten-digit dialing both between and within the 704 area code and the new overlay area code. The industry plan calls for all seven-digit dialed routes originating within the existing 704 area to be converted to ten-digit dialing.
The Commission's decision on the relief plan could also affect subscribers like you who are located outside the 704 area but who are able to reach subscribers in the 704 area by dialing seven digits. Depending upon the plan which the Commission ultimately adopts, subscribers outside the existing 704 area may have to dial ten digits (704 plus the seven-digit number or the new area code and the seven-digit number) to reach customers in the 704 area. Examples of routes from points outside the 704 area to points within the 704 area which may be affected by the change to ten-digit dialing are:
From exchanges in North Carolina:
Brooks to Harmony, New Hope and Union Grove
Catawba to Newton (462 prefix)
Claremont to Newton (462 prefix)
Hickory to Newton (462 prefix)
Courtney to Harmony
Ijames to Harmony
Maiden to Denver, Lincolnton and Newton (462 prefix)
Mountain View to Newton (462 prefix)
Newton to Denver
Newton (464, 465 and 466 prefixes) to Newton (462 prefix)
Sherrills Ford to Denver and Newton (462 prefix)
Taylorsville to Stony Point
From exchanges in South Carolina:
Antioch, SC to Grover, Kings Mountain and Shelby
Blacksburg, SC to Grover
Clover, SC to Gastonia and South Crowders Creek
Lake Wylie, SC to Charlotte, Gastonia and South Crowders Creek
Lake Wylie West, SC to Gastonia and South Crowders Creek
Mill Creek, SC to Belmont, Bessemer City, Gastonia, Kings Mountain, Lowell, Mt. Holly, South Crowders Creek and Stanley
York, SC to South Crowders Creek
PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD IN CHARLOTTE
After carefully considering the significant potential impacts associated with the distributed overlay area code relief plan recommended by the North Carolina telecommunications industry, the Commission is determined that all affected subscribers should have an opportunity to express their views on the recommendation. Accordingly, the Commission seeks written public comment and will conduct a public hearing beginning on Monday, April 19, 1999, at 6:30 p.m., in Room 267 on the second floor of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center at 600 E. Fourth St., in Charlotte for the purpose of receiving public comment regarding the addition of a new area code to relieve the current 704 area code. The hearing will continue on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at 9:00 a.m., in the Meeting Chamber on the first floor of the same building. The evening hearing on Monday, April 19, will be conducted for the sole purpose of receiving testimony and comments from members of the public. Members of the public who are unable to attend the evening public hearing on April 19 will also be allowed to testify on the morning of April 20. The Commission will receive testimony from all formal parties, including the industry participants, the Public Staff, Attorney General, and any other intervenors, during the April 20 hearing after public witnesses.
Persons desiring to send written statements to the Commission should submit their statements supporting or opposing the industry recommendation, or any alternative proposal, on or before April 14, 1999, and should include any information that those persons wish to be considered by the Commission in this matter. Interventions or statements should be addressed to the Chief Clerk, North Carolina Utilities Commission, Post Office Box 29510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0510. Statements may also be faxed to 919-733-7300.
The Public Staff of the Utilities Commission, through the Executive Director, is required by statue to represent the using and consuming public in proceedings before the Commission. Statements to the Executive Director should be addressed to:
Robert P. Gruber
Executive Director - Public Staff
Post Office Box 29520
Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0520
Fax: 919-733-9565
The Attorney General is also authorized by statute to represent the using and consuming public in proceedings before the Commission. Statements to the Attorney General should be addressed to:
The Honorable Michael F. Easley
Attorney General - State of North Carolina
Post Office Box 629
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-0629
Fax: 919-716-6757
ISSUED BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION.
This the 15th day of February, 1999.
NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION
Geneva S. Thigpen, Chief Clerk