IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
For Immediate Release /
Aug. 24, 2001
Contact:
COMMISSION
SEEKING INPUT
ON AREA CODE SPLIT
Case No. GNR-T-00-36
BOISE – By the fall of 2003, Idaho is expected to have exhausted its supply of telephone numbers under
the "208" area code.
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission must now determine the best way to implement a second area
code within the state and is seeking comments from the telecommunications industry
and the general public.
The state received notification from an administrator appointed by the Federal Communications
Commission that the current area code would run out of telephone numbers during the
third quarter of 2003.
The commission has considered several methods for implementing a new area code and has narrowed
the list to two preferred proposals.
One is called a "technology specific overlay." This proposal would require some newer phone
technologies, such as cell phones and pagers, to have a new area code. If approved by the FCC,
this proposal would likely allow wired telephone customers more years of area code stability. However, the
FCC currently has a prohibition against such overlays, but is considering
repealing or revising it. There is also a question as to whether the overlay can be implemented before the "208" area code is
exhausted.
A second proposal is a geographic split of the state. The commission reviewed eight different options of
dividing the state into two area codes and favors these two (Click for map):
Option One: This option splits northern and southern Idaho at White Bird. Area A under this split would
include northern Idaho to White Bird and then extend southeast to include the
Salmon and Mackay areas and into eastern Idaho to the southeastern border. Area B would include the area south of White Bird,
the Boise metropolitan area and the Magic Valley,
extending as far east as the Minidoka and Raft River rate centers. Because the area code in Area A would last the longest before all numbers were
exhausted – about 13 years – FCC
guidelines would recommend that it get the new area code. The southwestern sector would retain the "208" area code if the commission were to follow the FCC
guideline. The
southwestern "208" area code would be projected to expire in about eight years.
Option Two: Under this option, the north-south split would again begin at White Bird, but Area A would
include the Magic Valley as well as southeastern Idaho. Area B would include the
Boise area but only go as far east as Atlanta and Glenns Ferry and south to the southwestern Idaho border. Under this option,
the Area B area code would not expire for 14 years, meaning
southwestern Idaho would get the new area code. Northern Idaho, south-central and southeastern Idaho would retain the "208" area code and it
would be projected to exhaust in about
eight years.
Both geographic split options would retain 7-digit dialing for local calls within each area code for the
present time. The technology specific overlay might require 10-digit dialing (area code
plus seven-digit number) to differentiate between the two area codes.
The commission seeks comment by Sept. 13 on whether the technology specific overlay or the
geographic split is preferred. If the geographic split is preferred, please comment on which of
the two options is favored. Comments should include the reasons for supporting a specific option.
The commission is considering the plan under a modified procedure that will not require public hearings
unless there are a significant number of requests asking for hearings.
Persons wishing to submit comments via e-mail may do by accessing the commission’s homepage at
www.puc.state.id.us under the heading, "Contact Us." Then select "E-mail Case
Comments or Questions," fill in the case number (GNR-T-00-36) and enter your comments.
Comments can be mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762.
(EDITORS: Copies of the maps of Options One and Two of the
geographic overlay are available by calling 334-0339.)
