COMMISSION NEWS

ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION
1200 W. WASHINGTON STREET
PHOENIX, AZ 85007

TO: EDITORS, NEWS DIRECTORS

DATE: January 12, 1998

FOR: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: David Jankofsky, (602) 542-4251

COMMISSION SCHEDULES COMMENT PERIOD AND PUBLIC HEARING
ON 602 AREA CODE RELIEF PLAN

The Commission is currently considering the Arizona Numbering Plan Area ("NPA") Administrator's recommendation that the Commission implement an overlay in the 602 area code to resolve the impending number shortage. The Commission requested this recommendation after receiving an Industry Report from the NPA Administrator stating that current forecast growth projections for the 602 area code indicated that a number exhaust would occur in late 1999. The Industry Report also stated that service providers in Arizona were unable to reach a consensus on an area code relief plan for the 602 NPA code.

Potential solutions to number exhaust include the following:
  • A geographic split, with a portion of the Phoenix metropolitan area keeping the 602 area code, and the remainder of the area being given a new code.
  • An overlay, with a new area code assigned to new phone lines. Existing phone numbers would keep the 602 area code. Use of the overlay would require 10-digit dialing (area code plus phone number) for local calls.
  • The Commission is also considering number conservation measures which could be used to temporarily delay the need to create a new area code. Such measures include number pooling which could provide a more efficient allocation and utilization of numbers.

The Commission has invited all affected telecommunications service providers and other interested parties to submit written comment to the Commission on the NPA Administrator's 602 area code relief recommendation and other possible solutions on or before January 8, 1998, and reply comment on or before January 29, 1998. Members of the public are also encouraged to send written comments or letters to the Commission with their views on this subject on or before March 15, 1998.

The Commission will hold a public input hearing on January 26, 1998 to receive public comment on the NPA Administrator's recommendation, other alternatives including a geographic split, and measures such as number conservation. The hearing will be held at the Commission's Offices, Hearing Room 1, 1200 West Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Commission may hold additional public input hearings in the future if determined to be necessary.

Copies of the NPA Administrator's recommendation may be obtained at the Commission's Docket Control Center, Room 108, 1200 West Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona, Telephone: (602) 542-3477; or from the Commission's website at http://www.cc.state.az.us. Members of the public are encouraged to send their comments by E-mail to the Commission at its website listed above.