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Area Code Relief - Miscellaneous Questions
Will the cost of my calls change because of a new area code?
No, your calling areas and calling rates will not be impacted by an area code split or
overlay. Calls that were considered local before the introduction of the new area code will
remain local calls. Calls that were considered long distance before the new area code will
remain long distance calls.
How does a new area code affect other telecommunications services?
- 911 services will NOT be affected by the introduction of a new area code.
Emergency calls will continue to be handled just as they are today.
- 411 services will NOT be affected by the introduction of a new area code.
Directory assistance calls will continue to be handled and billed just as they are
today.
- Access to other services such as 211 (information and referral services), 511 (travel
information), 711 (TTY services) and 811 (Diggers Hotline), will NOT be affected
by the introduction of a new area code. These calls will continue to be handled
just as they are today.
- All directories, as they are published, will be updated to reflect the new area code
information. Directories in a geographic area affected by an overlay will publish
both the area code and the 7-digit telephone number for each customer’s listing.
Individual business customers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of their listings
that appear in additional directories as well as the telephone information appearing in their
paid advertising.
Why not assign a new area code to just fax or wireless services?
Perhaps the most common suggestion from the public facing an unwelcome area code change is to
create an area code that is used only for wireless services, fax machines or other non-wireline,
non-voice uses such as credit card verification. However, the FCC has banned this type
of use for area codes.
The FCC specifically prohibits area code relief plans that exclude a particular type of
telecommunications service from an area code or those relief plans that segregate services
and/or technologies into different area codes. The FCC's decision sought to protect
new telecommunications services from discrimination or disadvantage. For example, if
a new area code were assigned only to cellular services, all local calls between a cellular
customer and a wireline customer would require 10-digit dialing, while a wireline-to-wireline
call could be made by dialing 7 digits. Such a dialing disparity would favor wireline
customers at the expense of cellular customers. Also, through local number portability,
wireline numbers can be ported to a wireless service provider and vice versa. This
co-mingling of numbers and technologies prevents these services from being separated by area
codes.
Why not add a digit or two to the telephone number instead of adding area codes?
The public has also suggested various means of expanding the current dialing plan.
The most frequent suggestion is adding an 8th digit to the customer’s line number
(i.e. 555-1212X). Wisconsin is an integral part of the North
American Numbering Plan and cannot unilaterally make changes in the dialing protocol that
other regions, indeed other countries, rely upon. National planners are studying means
of expanding the current numbering system. However, such changes will have to be made on
a multi-national basis and will almost certainly require years to implement in a coordinated
manner. Such efforts will not eliminate the need for area code relief in both the 715
and 920 area codes the immediate future.
What is the official source of area code information?
NeuStar, Inc., in its role as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, is the official source for area code information. Additional area code information can be found at: http://www.nanpa.com
When will Wisconsin’s area codes need relief?
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) is responsible for forecasting when an area code will most likely exhaust and require the implementation of an additional area code. The most recent projections were published in April 2009. View Wisconsin’s current projected exhaust dates.
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