CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County commissioners stated their objections at its regular meeting Tuesday to the creation of the new 582 area code for portions of the existing 814 area code that is scheduled to change in early 2012.
According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, they were informed by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator that 582 will be assigned as the new area code for portions of the current 814 area code east of Jefferson, Elk and McKean counties. The boundary runs in a north/south direction east of Shinglehouse, Wilcox, Kersey, DuBois and Sykesville rate centers.
On Dec. 16, the PUC approved a plan to split the 814 area code along geographic boundaries to avoid running out of phone numbers, creating a new area code for customers in portions of northwestern Pennsylvania.
“They’re essentially going to split off the Sandy Township and DuBois areas of the county,” Commissioner Chairman John A. Sobel said. “We have real strong objections to this.
“They are somehow trying to affirm that they are not a part of our county, which is not true. DuBois and Sandy (Township) are a part of Clearfield County and just as important.”
He said the commissioners have yet to determine if the implementation of the new area code will result in additional charges for customers. But he said they hope it will not.
Commissioner Joan Robison-McMillen said all three of them oppose the implementation of the new 582 area code. They plan to contact their state officials regarding the issue, she said.
“I think we should say that we all strongly oppose this,” added Commissioner Mark B. McCracken. He said the PUC should have looked at the county lines and based plans for the new area code upon those boundaries.
Robinson-McMillen said it was a decision made by a higher level, and it wasn’t brought to the county level at any point for discussion.
The new area code will be implemented Feb. 1, 2012. The commission will continue to closely monitor phone number demand in the 814 area code to determine whether the implementation timeline meets the needs within the area code.
The 814 area code is projected to run out of telephone numbers in the first quarter of 2013. New area codes are needed when existing area codes exhaust their supply of “NXX” codes (which is the second set of three digits in a 10-digit telephone number, NPA-NXX-XXXX). Of the original four Pennsylvania area codes, the 814 area code was the only one to remain unchanged. With the split, Pennsylvania now will have 12 area codes – 412/724/878, 570/272, 814, 582, 717, 610/484 and 215/267.
On June 9, 2009, NANPA, which is the neutral third party area code relief planner for Pennsylvania, petitioned the PUC for area code relief. The commission said the geographic split for the 814 area code created less inconveniences than an overlay. Because of the geographic size of the 814 area code and the location of population centers, the commission said the geographic split was more practical for the 814 area code.
With the geographic split, consumers may continue to dial seven digits for local calling. The other option available to the commission – an overlay – would have covered the entire 814 area code with a new area code and required 10-digit dialing throughout a large geographic area in Pennsylvania.
When introducing a new area code, a permissive dialing period of about six months is allowed while customers adjust to the change.
During this time, customers may reach numbers in the new area code by either dialing 814 or the new area code. Even with permissive dialing, customers are encouraged to use the correct dialing.
Once the permissive dialing period has ended, customers will receive a recorded message telling them to hang up and redial the numbers using the new area code.