Bell Atlantic Ads Spread Word About
New 570 Area Code
In North-Central And Northeastern Pennsylvania

Customers Should Start Dialing New Code Today

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Bell Atlantic is launching a consumer education campaign to spread the word about the new 570 area code for north-central and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Beginning March 22, commercials promoting the new area code will run on radio stations throughout the central and northeastern parts of the state. Newspaper ads began March 15.

"Customers seem to be adapting well to the new code," said Sandra Scott, Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania manager-area code customer education. "Many callers have started using 570, and they're getting familiar with it.

"Since the new code was announced in June 1998, we've worked with local phone, long distance, cellular and paging companies to make the transition to 570 as smooth as possible for callers," said Scott.

The new 570 code was created to expand the availability of phone numbers in the north-central and northeastern parts of the state served by the existing 717 area code.

Customers from eastern Tioga to Pike counties and from the New York border to portions of Schuylkill County, formerly in the 717 area, now have phone numbers with the 570 area code. Customers in Harrisburg, Lancaster, York and surrounding areas continue to have the 717 area code.

Callers in the current 717 area code should dial '1' plus the new 570 area code and the seven-digit telephone number to reach a number in the new 570 area code -- Wilkes-Barre, for example. However, their calls will still go through until April 8 if they dial only the seven-digit number.

Similarly, customers in the region where the new 570 area code is being implemented should dial "1" plus the 717 area code to reach numbers remaining in that code -- Harrisburg, for example.

"Starting April 8, callers in the 717 area code need to dial '1' plus the area code to reach a number in the new 570 area code, and callers in the 570 area code must do the same to reach a number in the 717 area code," said Scott. Callers who dial only the seven-digit number for calls outside their area code will hear a recorded message instructing them to first dial '1' plus the area code.

Competition, Growth behind New Code

The demand for new telephone numbers is exploding as people are using more phone lines, cellular phones, pagers, computer modems and fax machines. In addition, Pennsylvanians increasingly have a choice of which company provides their local phone service, and these competing companies require phone numbers for their customers.

This heavy demand for phone numbers is driving the need for new area codes in Pennsylvania and across the country. In fact, new 267 and 484 area codes will be introduced in the 215 and 610 area codes in southeastern Pennsylvania, and the 724 area code was created in the western part of the state by splitting the 412 area code into two parts last year.

What's Not Changing

The area code change will not affect the price of phone service, and a customer's local calling area will remain the same, even if it includes both area codes. As in the past, callers in the 570 and 717 area codes will dial seven only digits to reach another number in the same area code, and "1" plus the area code and seven-digit phone number for calls outside their area code.

What Is Changing

Customers should prepare for the area code change by taking the following steps:

• Reprogram telecommunications services and equipment to include the new area code. This includes computer modems; Bell Atlantic optional services, including Call Forwarding (including Ultra Forward(R) and Select Forward), Call Block, Priority Call, Bell Atlantic(R) Easy Voice, Call Gate, Special Delivery(R) service on Home Voice Mail Service and pager notification on features such as Home Voice Mail Service, as well as speed dialing lists -- particularly those on office phones, cellular phones and fax machines.
• Notify people who call you regularly. Tell friends, relatives, customers, employees, business associates, suppliers and others.
• Make certain the new area codes appear in your company's ads and promotional materials. These include print ads, radio and TV spots, Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages advertising, classified ads, signs, Internet sites, recorded messages, signs on cars and trucks, billboards or anything else that shows your new area code and telephone number.
• Put the new area code on stationery, business cards, invoices, purchase orders, brochures, catalogs, product packaging, internal records, checks, company directories, labels and other printed materials.
• Check with your suppliers to make sure your telecommunications equipment recognizes the new 570 area code. Security and PBX phone systems also may need to be reprogrammed.

These changes will ensure that calls go through starting April 8 when callers must use the new area code.

Bell Atlantic will update the following services to reflect the new 570 area code: Centrex and Centrex Extend services, Foreign Exchange Service, Remote Call Forwarding, Call Restriction, directory listings and numbers blocked at the customer's request. MEANING?

For customers who want an easy way to dial frequently called numbers, Bell Atlantic currently has a special offer on its Speed Dialing 8 service. With Speed Dialing 8, customers can program eight commonly called numbers and then dial them by pushing one button. Customers who order Speed Dialing 8 before June 1 will receive the service free for three months. Speed Dialing 8 is $1.50 a month per line for residential customers and $5 monthly per line for businesses. Interested customers should call 877-246-3095 (toll-free) to order.

Customer Education Efforts Paying off

Bell Atlantic notified customers about the 570 area code change in a newsletter sent with their December phone bill. The newsletter included a list of exchanges in the new area code. Customers who need the list of 570 telephone exchanges should call the Area Code Information Line at 1-800-500-2167. The company also has distributed information on the new area code at senior centers, civic clubs and community events throughout the region.

Pennsylvanians can get more information on the new 570 area code by calling Bell Atlantic's toll-free Area Code Information Line (800-500-2167). Another hotline (800-717-TOLL or 800-717-8655) will help callers determine if the number they want to dial is a toll call. Customers also can visit the company's special area code pages on the World Wide Web (http://www.bellatlantic.com/areacode).

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.

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SOURCE Bell Atlantic