Finalizing the Telecommunications Industry's Recommendation

On February 14, 2007, NANPA reconvened the telecommunications industry representatives to review the public's comments and to develop a final recommendation to propose to the Commission. The telecommunications industry's consensus recommendation was to only propose an all-services overlay, which will superimpose a new area code, 657, over the same geographic area as the current 714 area code. The industry representatives supported this area code change option because it would be quicker to implement than a geographic split and would be least disruptive to their customers. They also indicated that their existing customers, including local tourist attractions and theme parks, would retain their existing telephone numbers and area codes. Only new telephone lines and/or services would be assigned the new 657 area code.

The industry representatives rejected the various split alternatives because each would divide multiple cities and other communities of interest, as well as require some, but not all, customers to incur the costs associated with changing area codes.