Adopted Schedule for 714 Area Code Overlay Implementation

In NANPA's application, the telecommunications industry recommended a 13-month implementation schedule for the 714/657 all-services overlay, which includes a public education program. Due to the change in forecasted exhaust date this has been reduced to 12 months as presented generally below.

EVENT	TIMEFRAME
Start of Customer Education and Network Preparation Period	6 months
Start of Permissive Dialing and Continue Customer Education Mandatory Dialing and First Code Activation Begins 30 days later	6 months
Total Implementation Interval	12 months

We adopt a 12-month implementation interval, which will start on the effective date of this order. However, we do note that according to the Pub. Util. Code § 7931, some key transitional events in the implementation schedule of any area code change must include customer notifications¹⁴ from each service provider and transitional dialing periods¹⁵ before opening a new area code.

In accordance with the Pub. Util. Code, within 12 months prior to the date the Commission adopts for opening the new 657 area code, service providers currently operating in the 714 area code or possessing numbering resources in the 714 area code shall provide written notification to all affected customers about the specific geographic region that will be served by the new 657 area code and the schedule for any transitional dialing period. (Pub. Util. Code § 7931(f)(2).) Moreover, within three months before the date the Commission adopts for opening the new 657 area code, each service provider shall again provide written notification to all its affected customers about the specific geographic region that will be served by the new 657 area code and the schedule for any transitional dialing period. (Pub. Util. Code § 7931(g).)

Although the telecommunications industry did not include providing customer notifications in its schedule matrix, it did indicate in its public education plan that it has scheduled two customer notifications before and after the permissive dialing period to "[a]nnounce the new area code plan," which will include information about the mandatory 10-digit dialing and the affected areas.

We agree with the proposal to provide the first customer notice before the permissive dialing period and to include information about the new area code plan, the new dialing procedure, and the affected areas. However, service providers shall ensure that the first customer notice will be in the form of a written notice and will include the schedule for the transitional dialing period.

We also agree with the proposal to provide a second customer notice after the permissive dialing period and to again include information about the new area code plan, the new dialing procedure, and the affected areas. However, service providers shall ensure that the second customer notice will be within three months before the new 657 area code is opened. They shall also ensure that the second customer notice will be in the form of a written notice and will include the schedule for the transitional dialing period. Furthermore, all such customer notices developed by each service provider shall be submitted to and approved by the Commission's Public Advisor prior to mailing them to the affected customers.

Aside from providing written customer notifications, service providers are responsible for providing a transitional dialing period when opening a new area code. Historically, the Commission has used the terms "permissive" and "mandatory" dialing periods as components of the transitional dialing period. The overlay does not involve a "permissive" dialing period as narrowly defined in Section 7932 (i.e., where the caller can reach the same party by dialing either the old or new area code). The term "permissive" dialing period in connection with the overlay, however, refers to the period during which consumers can reach the same party by dialing or not dialing the area code. Consumers are permitted, but not required, to use the new dialing procedure during this period. During the permissive dialing period, customers should be encouraged to voluntarily use the new dialing pattern for all their calls as part of the education program for the overlay. Correspondingly, the "mandatory" dialing period refers to the mandatory requirement to dial the area code for all calls to and from the 714 and 657 area codes.

Section 7931(f)(1) of the Pub. Util. Code also requires NANPA to inform the general public about the geographic areas included in the old and new area codes and the transitional dialing period.¹⁶ We do not expect NANPA to perform a marketing or outreach campaign to inform the public about the 714/657 area code overlay. Instead, we shall treat the general public, in relation to NANPA's responsibility, as the code holders and thousand-block holders in the 714 area code as of the effective date of this order. Therefore, NANPA shall notify the applicable code holders and thousand-block holders in the 714 area code of the implementation of the all-services overlay, its schedule, the region included in the overlay, and the dialing procedure for the overlay region within 30 days from the effective date of this order.

In conclusion, we adopt the implementation schedule as set forth in Attachment C. The permissive dialing period shall begin six months after the start of the 12-month implementation schedule and continue for six months. After which the mandatory dialing period shall begin. Thirty days after the start of the mandatory dialing period, service providers may assign telephone numbers with the new 657 area code to new telephone lines and/or services.

If any service provider providing service in the 714 area code does not presently offer its customers the capability to dial the area code for calls within the 714 NPA, we shall require that carrier to make permissive dialing within the 714 NPA available to its customers by the start of the permissive dialing period.

¹⁴ §§ 7931(f)(2) and (g).

¹⁵ § 7932(a)(3).

¹⁶ §§ 7931(f) and (f)(1).