Suffolk County Residents and Businesses to See
More of the 631 Area Code;
New Area Code to Be Displayed on Bills

NEW YORK, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Suffolk County residents and businesses soon will see the 631 area code displayed on their monthly Bell Atlantic telephone bills.

As part of the transition to the 631 area code in Long Island's Suffolk County, Bell Atlantic is converting many customer information databases to display the new area code. The software changes are being done gradually until April 1, the end of the transition period from the old 516 area code.

In addition to the use of the 631 code on bills, customers may notice Suffolk's area code on the following company services:

"These changes are all part of the transition period that began last November," said John Rollo, Bell Atlantic executive director for Community Affairs. "While individuals and businesses have been making changes to their communications equipment, Bell Atlantic also has been making necessary upgrades to use the new 631 area code in the services we provide to customers. Customers are starting to see these changes already and will continue to see them up until the 631 area code replaces 516 in Suffolk County on April 1."

Last April, the New York State Public Service Commission decided to split the Long Island's existing 516 area code to create millions of new local numbers. As a result, Nassau County residents and businesses will keep the 516 code, and Suffolk customers will have phone numbers with the new 631 area code. Since Nov. 1, calls could be placed to Suffolk County numbers using either the 516 or 631. When this transition period ends April 1, calls to Suffolk County telephone numbers must include the 631 area code to be completed.

Customers within the 631 area will continue to dial seven digits to reach another resident or business within the 631 area. Similarly, calls from a customer with a 516 number to another customer with a 516 number will be dialed with seven digits.

To place a call between the two Long Island area codes, customers will dial "1" plus the area code and the standard seven-digit number, just as they do when calling a number in another area code across the country.

Creation of the new area code will not affect rates or local calling on Long Island. Local calls will still be local calls, even though some customers may have to dial a "1" and the area code to complete the call. Charges for calls to 411 (directory assistance service) will remain the same, and the new area code will have no effect on calls to 911 emergency services.

Those who are near the area code boundary are the most likely to make calls using "1 plus the area code" for local calling. Customers near the Nassau/Suffolk border will be assigned to either the 516 or 631 area code, depending on which county they live in. Customers should review their telephone bill to verify which area code they are assigned.

Bell Atlantic is continuing a customer education program to inform Island residents and businesses of the changes and to urge them to reprogram their telecommunications equipment and services to handle the new area code. This includes computer modems; fax machines; speed dialing, call forwarding and voice dialing features, as well as other communications equipment.

The company is providing a 24-hour, toll-free recorded information line (800-322-3558 in English; 800-882-7818 in Spanish, and 800-299-2630 for TTY users); meeting with community groups and providing information to community newsletters. Much of the communications will be multi-lingual and accessible by TTY for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In addition, the company's Web site, http://www.BellAtlantic.com/areacode, has a full description of area code changes throughout Bell Atlantic's Maine-to-Virginia service area.

The demand for new telephone numbers has exploded since Bell Atlantic opened its telephone markets across New York. Dozens of other communications companies now offer local phone service, and these competing companies require phone numbers for their customers. In addition, people are communicating more than ever using additional phone lines, cellular phones, pagers, computer modems and fax machines.

Bell Atlantic (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With nearly 44 million telephone access lines and 12 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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