Press Release

HARRISBURG – Due to its success in conserving telephone numbers in the 215/267 area codes, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) yesterday unanimously voted to return the 445 area code overlay to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), the organization responsible for developing area code relief plans and distributing area codes throughout the United States.  

            The 445 area code was originally scheduled by the telecommunications industry to be implemented in May 2001 as an overlay of the 215/267 area codes in Southeastern Pennsylvania. But through several telephone number conservation measures, the 215/267 area codes aren’t expected to run out of phone numbers until the fourth quarter of 2008.  With the urgency to implement the 445 area code removed, the PUC directed NANPA to return 445 to the pool of available area codes. 

            The PUC is continuing to implement number conservation measures through NXX code reclamation and thousand-block number pooling.

            NXX code reclamation allows the PUC to reclaim NXX codes that have not been assigned to customers in six months. NXX codes are the first three digits of a phone number following the area code. Each one contains approximately 10,000 phone numbers.

            Thousand-block pooling allows telecommunications companies to return unused numbers in blocks of 1,000. Companies wanting additional numbers would then be assigned blocks of 1,000 numbers from the pool.  Before pooling began in 2001, companies received telephone numbers in blocks of 10,000 numbers, whether they had 100 customers or 9,000 customers.  Once the 10,000 numbers were given to a telephone company, they could not be assigned to another company.

            Until 1993, Pennsylvania had only four area codes. By 1999, five new area codes were added to the Commonwealth, including the 267 overlay of the 215 area code.  In 2000, NANPA assigned the 445 area code overlay for 215/267, believing that telephone numbers were nearing exhaustion.  The PUC began number conservation measures in 2001, which resulted in efficient use of numbering resources and the delay of the 445 area code implementation date.

            The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ensures safe, reliable and reasonably priced electric, natural gas, water, telephone and transportation service for Pennsylvania consumers, by regulating public utilities and by serving as responsible stewards of competition.

            For recent news releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet homepage at www.puc.paonline.com.

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