RE: Pennsylvania – Overlay Relief Plan for 412 and 724 Area Codes

The Pennsylvania telecommunications industry reached consensus on January 19, 2000 to implement a single overlay area code relief plan for the existing 412 and 724 area codes in Western Pennsylvania. The North American Numbering Plan Administrator has assigned 878 as the new overlay area code. The 878 area code will serve the two geographic areas now served by the 412 and 724 area codes, respectively.

This overlay area code relief plan implementation will result in a change in the dialing plan for Western Pennsylvania. In the new dialing plan, all calls within and between the 412, 724 and 878 area codes must be dialed with 10-digits. All calls to numbers outside the 412, 724 and 878 area codes must be dialed with 1+10-digits.

The Permissive Dialing Period during which all calls within the 412 area code or within the 724 area code may be dialed with either 7- or 10-digits will begin on July 17, 2000 at 12:01 AM. Effective 12:01 AM on July 12, 2001, all calls must be dialed in accordance with the new 412/724/878 dialing plan.

Below is a summary of the 412/724/878 dialing plan:

DIALING FROM AREA CODE		DIALING TO AREA CODE		DIALING DIGITS REQUIRED
412 or 724 or 878		412 or 724 or 878		10-digits (Area Code+NXX+XXXX)*
412 or 724 or 878		All Other Area Codes		1+10-digits (1+Area Code+NXX+XXXX)
412 or 724 or 878		Emergency 9-1-1		9-1-1
412 or 724 or 878		Directory Assistance		4-1-1
ALL OPERATOR-ASSISTED CALLS			DIALING DIGITS REQUIRED
Including: Credit Card Calls Collect Calls Third Party Calls			0+10-digits (0+Area Code+NXX+XXXX)

* If a call is dialed as 1 + 10-digits, the call will complete.

The earliest code activation date for new central office three digit codes assigned in the 878 area code will be August 17, 2001.

Activation of the new area code will not result in any changes in Bell Atlantic rates or local calling areas. Also, no existing 412 or 724 area code telephone numbers will change.

An 878 area code test number, 878-553-8378, will be available from April 15, 2001 to August 1, 2002 for Telecommunications Service Providers to verify routing to the 878 area code. Providers will be able to report unsuccessful test calls to number 878-553-8378 to Bell Atlantic at 412-633-3390 between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

TEST NUMBER Available from April 15, 2001 to August 1, 2002
Test 878 Area Code	878-553-8378

Customers will need to take a number of actions, including the following:

• Check with their telecommunications equipment vendors to make sure all their communication equipment can accommodate the new area code and dialing plan.
• Include their complete 10-digit telephone number on their printed material, signage, advertisements (print, media, WebPages), and voice mail announcements.
• Give and receive an area code when exchanging telephone numbers.
• Reprogram speed calling, route selectors, auto-dialing equipment, Call-forwarding or similar features, as necessary.
• Contact their alarm monitoring company to inform it of their 10-digit number and make sure the alarm company reprograms its reach number.

Other communications services and related services that might be affected by implementation of the 878 area code overlay on the 412 and 724 area codes and the associated 10-digit dialing requirements include the following:

• Alarm/security service providers may need to reprogram or upgrade their systems.
• Cellular and PCS services, pagers and other wireless communications companies may need reprogramming.
• Building security systems may need reprogramming.
• Owners of coin-operated telephones should contact their equipment vendor for specific equipment requirements.
• PBX vendors may need to contact their customers to determine if their equipment can accommodate the new 878 area code and dialing plan.

KEY DATES TO REMEMBER
July 17, 2000 12:01 AM	Permissive Dialing Begins Calls within 412 and within 724 can be dialed using either 7- or 10-digits. Calls between 412 and 724 require dialing 10-digits. Calls to numbers outside area codes 412/724 continue to be dialed using 1+10-digits.
April 15, 2001 to August 1, 2002	Test Number available: 878-553-8378. Bell Atlantic Trouble reporting number: 412-633-3390.
July 12, 2001 12:01 AM	Mandatory Dialing Begins: All calls within and between 412/724/878 must be dialed according to the new 10-digit dialing plan.
August 17, 2001	878 central office three-digit code activation begins.

Customer information regarding this Area Code Relief Plan and others throughout the Bell Atlantic Region is available on Bell Atlantic's WebPages at the LATA Locator. Both the LERG and the NPA NXX Activity Guide will be updated to reflect the changes. The North American Numbering Plan WebPages at http://www.nanpa.com/, maintained by NeuStar, Inc., also contain updated industry related information.

You may direct general questions regarding the 412/724/878 NPA Overlay Relief Plan to Frank Colaco, NeuStar – NPA Planning on 973-740-9100. You may direct questions of a technical nature to Mary Siegel – Bell Atlantic NPA Planning & Implementation at 410-736-6270.