CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County commissioners have continued their opposition to the new 582 area code that has been proposed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for portions of the existing 814 area code.
The PUC was 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, 2010, the PUC approved its plan that would split the 814 area code along geographic boundaries in order to avoid running out of phone numbers, creating a new area code for customers in portions of northwestern Pennsylvania.
In a letter addressed Jan. 18 to James H. Cawley, chairman of the PUC, the commissioners expressed their opinion about the PUC’s recent decision to split portions of the 814 area code into the newly created 582 area code. “While we understand the necessity for the creation of a new area code, our opposition lies with how the boundaries will be drawn to split the two area codes,” the commissioners wrote.
The commissioners said their “specific concern” is that the initial plan splits a large geographic portion of Clearfield County, the east, south, central and southwest, into the 814 area code, while the northwest corner is placed into the new 582 area code.
Perhaps even more important, the commissioners wrote that the northwest corner of the county contains two of its most populace municipalities – DuBois City and Sandy Township, which serves as a commerce and retail center, not only for Clearfield County, but also for Elk and Jefferson counties.
In addition, the commissioners said it is problematic that the county seat, Clearfield Borough, will be in a different area code from DuBois City and Sandy Township.
“We also feel that separating Clearfield County into two, different area codes will cause a great deal of confusion for our citizens. It should also be noted that DuBois and Sandy Township are the home to many of the important medical and educational facilities utilized by the citizens throughout Clearfield County,” the commissioners wrote.
In conclusion, the commissioners requested that the PUC reconsider the boundary lines for the existing 814 and the newly created 582 area codes. While the commissioners insisted that the county not be split between the two area codes, they didn’t have any problem with which area code they are eventually placed in, as long as the county is entirely in one.
“The best solution we can suggest is to keep Clearfield, Jefferson and Elk counties in the same area code as all three counties have a common connection to the commerce and retail center of DuBois and Sandy Township,” the commissioners wrote.
During the public comment session, DuBois resident Barry Abbott expressed his displeasure with the Jan. 14 edition of the Altoona Mirror, which he said “carried a very disturbing article” about the 814 area code “debacle.” He said the PUC has attempted to force the new 582 area code upon northwest Pennsylvania, including the DuBois and Sandy Township areas of Clearfield County.
According to Abbott, in the article, members of the Altoona City Council urged the PUC to continue to “stick” with its decision. In addition, Altoona Mayor William Schirf wants to “spring into action,” to rally the Johnstown and Altoona region to follow his lead and to endorse the new area code for the northwest corridor.
“(It’s) conveniently sheltering the Altoona and Johnstown area from this change,” Abbott said. In a recent letter, Abbott urged Schirf, the Altoona Council and Blair County Commissioners and “those who seem to agree” to redirect their actions against fellow Pennsylvanians and to tackle the problem – a new area code for only part of the 814 region.
He said that all his research has pointed to change in the northwest area, which includes DuBois and Sandy Township and its surrounding areas and excludes the Altoona and Johnstown region. If Schirf wants to “spring into action,” he pushed for a town meeting to discuss the PUC overlaying 814 with the new area code for new customers only.
“Now, that type action would certainly help and support your neighboring county and its citizens,” said Abbott, who called attention to “a few common sense facts.”
According to him, the total recall of the 814 area code in the northwest region would add an additional, burdensome expense for all business owners and private individuals. Further, it would result in the complete overhaul of letterhead, business cards and Web site information, he said.
Abbott said that both cellular phone and basic phone service information would be disrupted, and it would only create confusion for current as well as future customers.
Abbott said he has, too, read that if the Altoona and Johnstown region becomes affected by the area code change, then the aforementioned issues would relegate to that region.
“I’m calling on the Pennsylvania senators and representatives of the 814 area code to convene a town hall meeting,” he said. He said it would allow representatives of each region to participate in discussion of and to create a reasonable solution.
He said he forwarded his letter to both Sen. Joseph Scarnati and Rep. Matt Gabler, asking the town meeting be held “in the center of this storm,” – Dubois – so that all dignitaries, politicians and citizens can have their voices and opinions heard.
If anyone could not attend his proposed town meeting, Abbott encouraged them to write him at jbaka@verizon.net. He assured their opinions and beliefs would be included in the meeting, as it’d allow existing consumers to go on record for the PUC.
Abbott proposed that the best resolution is to slow down and allow the PUC to accept public and government input before a rally for an overlay of the old versus new area codes. He also suggested that existing consumers maintain the 814 area code, while all new consumers would fall under the new 582 area code.
“The fight is [neither] with nor among us but instead with the government jurisdiction that made this ludicrous decision. Let us rally and unite as one for the betterment of our respective counties and citizens,” Abbott said.
He said the proposed town meeting must happen within the next two weeks if not sooner. He said the PUC must see a “unified rally against this unnecessary inconvenience,” which is about to be endured by the populace.
John Balliet, director of the DuBois-based Taxpayers United for Representation NOW (TURN), again addressed the commissioners and announced that he had filed a complaint with the PUC over the implementation of the new 582 area code. In correspondence with Bobbi Porr, an investigator with the PUC, he examined “the facts that all can agree upon.”
He pointed out that the PUC scheduled a hearing for this matter in February 2010 in Erie, which was postponed due to inclement weather. The hearing was rescheduled for April, and only six persons attended, while a similar hearing drew approximately 55 attendees in Somerset, he said.
Balliet said it was appreciated that the PUC voted on Jan. 14 to review its decision to split the 814 area code region and assign the new 582 area code to the same. Now, he said “the onus of responsibility” comes upon them to present viable alternatives to the PUC.
According to him, the National Center for Health Statistics Survey shows that at the end of 2009, 24.5 percent of all United States households don’t have landline phones any longer. He said that studies have also indicated many people who have landlines use it less than their cellular phones.
Balliet said he found more localized statistics in the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal. He said that PUC data indicated that there has been a 23 percent drop in landline services by a combination of both businesses and residential customers.
In 2003, the PUC data read that there were 5.5 million household phone lines. The number dropped to 4.2 million in 2007. Business lines dropped, too, but by a much smaller rate.
“It appears that the pressure on our 814 area code as well as area codes across the nation is being caused by cellular numbers, not landlines,” Balliet said.
“Why should landline customers and businesses have to change their area code, when the usage of landlines is on the decline? This creates a needless expense to business and industry.”
While the problem has been identified, Balliet offered the following solutions. He said the PUC could:
– impose the new 582 area code on cellular numbers. He said it would relieve the pressure on the demand for new 814 numbers.
– overlay the 582 area code with the existing 814 area code, including it in the same rate zones. He said it would be a 10-number dial, but a toll would not apply.
– encourage telephone companies to move toward the “next generation” with number probability, such as having cellular numbers the same as landline numbers.
He said it was a “common sense solution” that would neither place a burden on businesses nor landline customers. He said it would eliminate the need to create a new area code for landlines in the current 814 region.
Commissioner Joan Robinson-McMillen said that the commissioners have set up a public meeting for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9 in Courtroom No. 2 at the Clearfield County Courthouse. She said state and local officials would be in attendance, and citizens would have the opportunity to raise their concerns regarding the new area code.
Commissioner John A. Sobel said the commissioners appreciated the input from Abbott and Balliet and invited them to attend the public meeting. He said they especially appreciated that they were more than calling attention to the issue, but also proposing potential solutions.
“Pictures are worth 1,000 words, and the symbolism of this new area code just isn’t good,” Sobel said. Commissioner Mark B. McCracken said that while the PUC must plan for the future, its plans must also be sensitive to regional concerns.
Abbott then suggested that the commissioners extend invitations to officials and citizens in the Erie area. “We are all Pennsylvanians fighting this debacle,” he said.