California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov Docket #: A.07-06-018

CPUC TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON
760 AREA CODE SPLIT DECISION

SAN FRANCISCO, August 25, 2008 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today said it will hold two additional public participation hearings regarding a recent CPUC decision to split the 760 area code, in response to a petition requesting an area code overlay instead of a split.

On April 24, 2008, the CPUC responded to a telephone number shortage in the 760 area code by approving a geographic split to create a new 442 area code. The portion in San Diego County was assigned the 442 area code, while the remaining portion east and north of San Diego County, including all of Imperial County and portions of Inyo, Mono, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, retained the 760 area code.

On August 15, 2008, state Assemblyman Martin Garrick and the Chambers of Commerce of Carlsbad, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista filed a Petition for Modification of the CPUC's April 24^th decision, contending that the CPUC's decision was the result of erroneous interpretation of public comment received and the absence of comment from significant portions of the affected public. Claiming inequitable economic harm imposed on northern San Diego County businesses and residences, the petition asks the CPUC to modify the decision to adopt an area code overlay, rather than the geographic split that had been adopted.

The CPUC will take additional public comment to evaluate this petition at two Public Participation Hearings as follows:

September 3, 2008, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Victorville City Hall, Council Chambers

14343 Civic Dr., Victorville

September 4, 2008, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Carlsbad City Hall, Council Chambers

1200 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

Parties to this proceeding have until noon on September 2, 2008, to file comments, with responses to comments due by noon on September 5, 2008. This schedule will enable a CPUC Proposed Decision to be issued on September 16, 2008, for consideration by the CPUC at its October 16, 2008, meeting. This schedule will also allow resolution of the petition prior to the currently scheduled November 8, 2008, implementation of permissive dialing for the split called for in the CPUC's April 24^th decision.

If special arrangements are needed for the public hearings, such as sign and foreign language interpreters, please contact the CPUC Public Advisor's Office at 1-866-849-8391 or 1-213-576-7055 or email: public.advisor.la@cpuc.ca.gov at least three days prior to the hearings. For those who cannot attend the hearings in person, comments will be accepted until September 2^nd to: CPUC Public Advisor's Office, 320 West 4^th St., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90013 or by email to public.advisor.la@cpuc.ca.gov.

The Ruling setting the hearings is available at http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/RULINGS/87021.htm.

More information on the 760 area code is available at www.cpuc.ca.gov/760areacode.

For more information about communications issues, please visit www.CalPhoneInfo.com.

For more information about the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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Differences Between an Area Code Split and an Area Code Overlay
Area Code Splits	Area Code Overlays
Splits designate a single area code for a particular geographical region.	Overlays designate more than one area code for a particular geographical region.
Splits require an area code change for approximately one-half of the rate centers within a geographical region in a two-way split. Consumers may have a different area code for their residence telephone numbers compared to their cell phone or business telephone numbers. This depends on the rate center associated with the telephone number.	Overlays will not require consumers with existing telephone numbers to change their area code. Consumers that want new telephone numbers may receive telephone numbers with the new area code. Consumers may be assigned a different area code for telephone numbers within the same residence or business location. Adjoining houses, buildings, etc. may also have different area codes even though they are next to each other.
Splits maintain 7-digit dialing within a geographical region. Consumers do not have to dial the area code when making calls to and/or from telephone numbers with the same area code.	Overlays require consumers to use a new dialing procedure whereby the area code must be dialed for all calls. Currently, in California, when one dials the area code, one must dial "1" before the area code.
Consumers receiving the new area code will need to change stationery, business cards, advertising materials, etc. Consumers may need to notify others of the new area code if their area code changed. Manual or over-the-air reprogramming of cell phones may be needed too.	Consumers may need to revise stationery, business cards, advertising materials, etc., regardless of the area code if the area code was not already on those materials. Consumers may need to reprogram their automatic dialing equipment or other types of equipment that are programmed with only a 7-digit number to ensure that they can handle dialing the new dialing procedure. Consumers will need to notify others of the new dialing procedure.
Future splits will reduce the size of the geographical region associated with an area code.	Overlays do not reduce the size of the geographical region associated with an area code.