CCC   PPPPP   U    U    CCC       N    N  EEEEE  W  W  W   SSS
 C   C  P    p  U    U   C   C      NN   N  E      W  W  W  S   S
C       P    P  U    U  C           N N  N  E      W  W  W  S
C       PPPPP   U    U  C           N N  N  EEE    W W W W   SSS
C       P       U    U  C           N  N N  E      WW   WW      S
 C   C  P       U    U   C   C      N   NN  E      W     W  S   S
  CCC   P        UUUU     CCC       N    N  EEEEE  W     W   SSS

CONTACT: Kyle DeVine               August 2, 1996   CPUC - 530
         213-897-4225                             (C.96-03-039)

            CPUC ORDERS SPLITS FOR 415, 916 AREA CODES

    The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today turned
down a Pacific Bell request to use area code overlays in the 415
and 916 areas, ordering them to split the areas, keeping old codes
in one portion of each area and using new codes in others.
    The increased use of faxes, pagers, cellular services and
other telecommunication services, is gobbling up telephone numbers
statewide.  To keep up with the demand, new area codes must be
added and may double from 13 to 26 by the year 2000.
    Both area codes are running out of new prefixes which are the
first three digits of the seven-digit number.  The 415 area code
may run out of new prefixes by October 1997; 916 may run out by
April 1998.  There are 10,000 numbers in a prefix.
    New area codes must be implemented in the areas soon to avoid
running out of numbers.  Since an overlay method - where area
boundaries are kept the same and a second code is added to the
area - is new to the state, the time needed for consumer education
programs and getting acquainted with the new system might delay
implementation.  So the Commission chose the traditional boundary
split.

415 AREA CODE
    The 415 area code currently serves Marin, San Francisco, San
Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties.  As early as August
1997, the area will be split in two just south of San Francisco
City.  Most of Brisbane, part of Daly City, San Francisco, and
Marin County will remain in the 415 area code.  Cities to the
south will be in the new area code.  This includes Millbrae, San
Bruno, South San Francisco, half of Daly City, the Brisbane Marina
and the San Francisco Airport. - see map -
                              -more-
The boundary will run along the Daly City northern boundary to the
280 Freeway, then south through Daly City - paralleling Liebig, to
Mission, to Wellington, then east through the San Bruno Mountain
State Park, and cut through Brisbane just north of the Marina.
    After receiving comments from letters, holding public meetings
in Redwood City, San Francisco, and San Rafael, and reviewing
three options suggested by telecommunication companies, CPUC staff
and Bay Area Cities representatives, the CPUC determined this
boundary would be the least disruptive and confusing to consumers.
With this boundary, the 415 area code may last six years before a
new code has to be used; the new area code should last 14 years.

916 AREA CODE
    The 916 area code currently serves 23 counties that stretch
from Sacramento to the Oregon border.  As early as November 1997,
the area will be split with 916 remaining in the portion of
Sacramento County that is currently in the 916 area, Loomis,
Rocklin, and Roseville in southern Placer County, and West
Sacramento in Yolo County.  The rest of the current 916 area will
be in the new area code.  That includes Alpine, Butte, Colusa, El
Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono,
Nevada, the rest of Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou,
Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, the rest of Yolo, and Yuba
Counties.  - see map -
    Public meetings were held in Chico, Redding, Roseville and
South Lake Tahoe.  Comments from the public, industry, CPUC staff
and cities representatives favor this split.  With this split, the
916 area code may last five years before a new code would have to
be used and the new area code may last 19 years.

    Telephone utilities have been ordered to form a committee to
prepare a plan to educate customers throughout the State about the
changes to the 415 and 916 area codes.  As part of this education
effort, telephone utilities will be sending out notices in the 415
and 916 area codes describing the area code changes ordered by the
Commission today.
                              -###-
---please note that maps (which are figures 3 and 4 in decision)
can't be reproduced.  Please call Kyle DeVine if you need copies--