New Area Code Assigned To New Jersey 856 Issued For
Geographic Split Of 609 Area Code

11:19 a.m. Mar 09, 1999 Eastern

NEWARK, N.J., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The number 856 has been assigned as the new southern New Jersey area code, created by a split of the current region served by the 609 area code.

Lockheed Martin, the national area code administrator, issued the code to Bell Atlantic after review of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' decision last month to create several million new local numbers by splitting the state's 609 region. Residents and businesses on the eastern side of the split will retain the 609 code, while those on the western side will be given the new 856 area code.

This action will effectively double the supply of numbers available to satisfy growing consumer needs and demand for new telecommunications services. (A list of exchanges in the new area code are included at the end of this release and a map of the area code split is available upon request.) The area code split will be implemented by June 12, 1999. For a period of approximately 5 months, calls placed to telephone numbers in the new 856 area code will be completed whether or not the new code is dialed. Beginning Nov. 13, calls to the new area code will not be completed unless the new 856 code is dialed.

Further information on the implementation schedule will be available following a meeting of industry representatives later this month. The new 856 area code will include all of Salem County, as well as major portions of Gloucester, Camden and Cumberland counties and smaller portions of Burlington and Atlantic counties.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high- growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries.

INTERNET USERS: Bell Atlantic news releases, executive speeches, news media contacts and other useful information are available at Bell Atlantic's News Center on the World Wide Web (http://www.ba.com). To receive news releases by email, visit the News Center and register for personalized automatic delivery of Bell Atlantic news releases.


           Local Exchange Codes To Be Included In New 856 Area Code

       205       325       461       595       740       842
       210       327       464       596       741       843
       216       328       467       598       742       845
       218       331       468       600       746       848
       222       337       470       608       751       851
       223       338       473       613       752       853
       224       339       474       614       753       854
       225       342       475       616       754       855
       227       346       477       619       755       857
       228       349       478       622       756       858
       231       350       479       623       757       863
       232       351       481       627       761       864
       233       354       482       629       762       866
       234       355       483       630       764       869
       235       356       486       635       765       873
       237       357       488       642       767       874
       240       358       489       644       768       875
       241       359       507       650       769       878
       244       363       508       651       770       879
       245       365       515       657       772       881
       246       367       521       661       773       885
       248       369       531       662       776       891
       249       374       532       663       778       899
       250       377       533       665       779       901
       251       379       535       667       782       910
       253       384       536       668       783       914
       255       401       537       669       784       916
       256       414       539       672       785       917
       262       415       540       674       786       931
       270       416       541       675       787       933
       271       422       542       678       788       935
       273       423       543       681       793       938
       274       424       544       686       794       939
       276       427       545       690       795       940
       277       428       546       691       796       946
       284       429       547       692       797       960
       289       433       549       694       798       962
       293       435       563       696       802       963
       299       437       564       697       809       964
       302       438       565       701       810       966
       303       439       566       715       813       968
       307       445       568       718       821       969
       309       446       573       719       824       974
       310       447       574       721       825       975
       312       451       580       722       829       979
       317       453       582       727       830       983
       318       454       589       728       831       985
       321       455       590       733       833       988
       322       456       591       736       837       996
       323       459       593       738       840

SOURCE Bell Atlantic


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