TO: EDITORS, NEWS DIRECTORS

DATE: June 19, 2001

FOR: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

928 Area Code To Debut Saturday

PHOENIX - Effective June 23, 2001, the area served by the 520 area code will be split into two different area codes - 520 and 928. Telecommunications providers throughout the state are working on the final stages leading up to the June 23 launch. Arizona needs a new area code because the 520 area code was running out of available telephone number prefixes. Competition in telecommunications and the rapid proliferation of cellular phones, pagers, fax machines and enhanced Internet services are just a few of the reasons that supply of available numbers is dwindling. As the supply of available numbers shrinks, new area codes must be introduced to meet the demand. Arizona will add a new area code, 928, in the 520 region. Customers with area codes of 602, 480 or 623 are NOT affected.

Calls will go through using either area code between June 23, 2001 and January 5, 2002. This is called a "permissive dialing period." Callers who use the old area code after January 5, 2002 will hear a message directing them to hang up and dial again using the new area code.

The Arizona Corporation Commission's web site includes a table showing the prefixes that move to the 928 area code as well as the prefixes that stay 520. Click on the following link to access this page: http://www.cc.state.az.us/utility/newarea/new-2.htm. A small number of prefixes assigned to mobile phones and pagers may not change. The Commission advises customers to check with their mobile communications provider to learn how they are implementing the new area code.

Here are some of the communities that STAY in the 520 area code: Ajo, Benson, Bisbee, Bowie, Casa Grande, Cascabel, Coolidge, Douglas, Elfrida, Eloy, Florence, Green Valley, Hayden, Maricopa Village, Maricopa, Nogales, Patagonia, Pearce, Portal, Sacaton, San Manuel, San Simon, Sasabe, Sells, Sierra Vista, Stutonic, Sunizona, Superior, Tombstone, Tucson, West San Simon, Whitlow, and Wilcox.

Major communities that will CHANGE to the new 928 area code are: Bullhead City, Camp Verde, Chinle, Clifton, Cottonwood, Ehrenberg, Flagstaff, Gila Bend, Globe, Grand Canyon, Holbrook, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Mohave Valley, Oatman, Page, Parker, Payson, Pinetop, Prescott, Quartzsite, Safford, Sedona, Seligman, Show Low, Snowflake, Somerton, Wickenburg, Williams, Window Rock, Winslow, Young and Yuma.

For more information, please call your local telephone provider or call the Commission at (602) 542-4251 or (800) 222-7000 from outside Maricopa County.

(Proposed Sidebars)

What to do if you own a business:

Use up your old printed material but be sure to include the new area code on any new material you order. As you plan ahead for yellow pages advertising, industry directories and new promotional literature, please remember to include the 928 area code. You should also begin updating your vendor and client lists to reflect the addition of the new area code.

Beginning June 23, 2001, you can test your telephone or alarm equipment to determine if it recognizes the new 928 area code by calling the free test numbers: 928-348-7928 or 928-526-4928. If a call to the test number does not go through, contact your equipment provider. They may need to update their in-house programming to connect calls to the 928 area code. You may also need to call your local telephone service provider if your problem cannot be resolved through your equipment provider.

What to do if you're a residential customer:

Remember to tell friends and relatives about the new area code. If you have e-mail, send a message to everyone letting them know about the change. Be sure to note the new area code on any cards, letters or holiday greetings you send. Also be sure to update your address book for any businesses and individuals outside your immediate area.