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 9, 1996 CPUC - 534 213-897-4225 TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN AREA CODES 310, 415 AND 619 ARE FROZEN The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) alerts consumers that the California code administrator has placed a freeze on issuing new telephone number prefixes to telecommunications carriers in 310, 415 and 619 area codes. Freeze is in place to lessen number shortages which should help utilities meet consumer demand for numbers. Because the supply of new telephone number prefixes available in those areas is so low, the CPUC and the telecommunications industry is considering ways to avoid running out of telephone numbers before new area codes can be implemented. The freeze, implemented June 19, will be in effect in the 310 area until September 19, and in 415 and 619 until August 19. The freeze provides time to devise a plan for fair allocation of the remaining prefixes. In June 1996, the CPUC adopted procedures for the 310 area code that would minimize adverse public impact if the demand for numbers exceeds supply. Procedures include a freeze on issuing new prefixes if the amount of new prefixes falls below 58, or nine or more prefixes are issued per month for three consecutive months. Because new prefixes in the 310 area code were less than 58, an immediate freeze was implemented. The California code administrator, realizing how rapidly prefixes in 415 and 619 were dwindling, considered it prudent to freeze those two areas as well. Procedures to minimize public impact also require telecommunications companies to prioritize number assignments based on public interest. For example, government agencies protecting public safety and health have first priority. The list follows: 1. Agencies, businesses or persons involved with protecting public safety and health. 2. Public service. 3. Quasi-public service, such as tow trucks or the media. 4. Physically handicapped. 5. New businesses or businesses with fewer than average numbers for their type of business. 6. New residential customers. 7. All others, such as customers who want to add more lines. -more- If the availability of new prefixes continues to rapidly decline, the allocation plan for 310, 415, and 619 area codes may include rationing new numbers to telecommunications carriers as a last resort. If rationing is decided and implemented, telecommunications companies such as local service and cellular companies, must make do with their rationed supplies and some customers may not get as many numbers as they request. If rationing is used, it may be in place in area code 310 until October 1997 when the area code split is complete. For the 415 area code, rationing may continue until May 1998. For 619, it may continue until December 1997. With rationing, the amount of telephone number prefixes to be issued will depend on how many remain available. As few as three new prefixes in each area code may be issued each month for telecommunications companies to use. In the first six months of 1996, about 16 prefixes were assigned each month in the 415 area code. Currently the 310 area code has 53 new prefixes left, 415 has 120 left and 619 has 57. There are 10,000 seven-digit telephone numbers in a prefix, 792 prefixes in an area code. The CPUC is considering a lottery system as one way to determine which carriers would be assigned telephone prefixes. The Commission will shortly decide whether and how such a lottery would be conducted to assure fair allocation of prefixes. If a lottery system is used, more than 180 companies may participate each month. Companies include Pacific Bell, GTEC, about 66 competing local exchange companies, about 100 wireless, two cellular, and 12 personal communications services companies. Three or more prefixes - depending on how many are available in an area - will be up for lottery each month. Winners would each receive an entire prefix and it will be up to the companies to decide if they want to share prefixes. -###-