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Residents Voice
Concerns Over Possible 310 Area Code Change
By Michelle Lanz
May 1, 2005, 23:09
Public hearings were held this week for residents to express
concerns or raise questions about the proposed plan instituting an
overlay as the back-up area code contingency plan. The meetings were
held in Malibu, Culver City, Redondo Beach, and El Segundo.
In 2000, a decision was made to split the 310 area code in two along
Imperial Highway. However, more recently, telecommunications
companies including T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Cingular
Wireless have turned in a petition that calls for the use of the
overlay, not the split.
Some characteristics of an overlay include the possibility of more
than one area code in a single geographic location. For example, if
a business currently has a 310 area code but adds another phone line
while the overlay is in effect, it is possible for that phone line
to have a different area code than the original.
“What I don’t like is the idea that my children can be living in my
house but have cell phones of a different area code,” says Wanda
Mitchell, mother of four and a Santa Monica resident.
Another issue concerning residents is the fact that with the
telephone overlay, callers will have to dial 1+area code+ seven
digit number for all calls, even those within the same area.
On the positive end, current residents and business owners will not
have to worry about changing their current phone number on business
cards, stationary, or advertisements because all currently
established numbers will not be changed. The new area code overlay
will only come into effect once all the 310 numbers have been
exhausted; meaning only new numbers may include the new code.
“I am hoping that my business is not affected because it is very
expensive to have merchandise, ads and business cards reprinted. All
because of a new phone number forced on us,” says small business
owner Jonathan McKinney.
The last public hearing was on Wednesday April 27th. It is unknown
when the CPUC will vote on the topic, however if you would like to
learn more about the topic visit http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/ for more
information.
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