FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Docket #: R.95-04-043

Media Contact: PUC Press Office, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov

PUC Approves Plan Splitting 909 Area Code

SAN FRANCISCO, November 13, 2003 -- The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) today responded to the telephone number shortage in the 909 area code by approving an area code split to create a new 951 area code in order to replenish the supply of available telephone numbers.

After having explored all available means to avoid depleting numbers in the 909 area code, the Commission adopted a plan authorizing the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), together with carriers providing service in the 909 area code, to create a two-way geographic split of the 909 area code. Under the adopted plan, a geographic split will create a new 951 area code with a boundary line defined by the rate centers in a west-to-east direction approximately through the center of the 909 area code. The new 951 area code will be assigned to the region south of the new boundary line.

Beginning on July 17, 2004, there will be a grace period when customers will have the option of dialing the new area code, but may still reach parties in the new 951 area code by dialing the 909 area code so that customers can adjust to dialing the 951 area code. The 951 area code must be dialed on a mandatory basis for calls into the new area code beginning on Oct. 30, 2004. Carriers may start assigning numbers in the 951 area code beginning Feb. 27, 2005.

As of Oct. 30, 2004, whenever a caller wrongly dials the 909 area code to reach a number that has been changed to the 951 area code, a recorded message will instruct the caller to hang up and redial the number using the 951 area code.

As of August 2003, there were two central office codes remaining for the set-aside allotment to the 909 number pool. There were six codes left for assignment through lottery rationing in the 909 area code. NANPA's projected exhaust for the 909 area code is the fourth quarter of calendar year 2003.

The 909 area code was created when it was split from the 714 area code in 1992.

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