|
By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
9-23-2008 The dispute about the 760 area code is much like a baseball game where the winning team goes home, then the umpires decide to play one more inning.
That, according to Second District Inyo County Supervisor, is almost what happened when the California Public Utilities Commission approved an area code split for the 760 region, then reneged when a coalition of Southern California cities appealed its decisions.
Though the CPUC voted 4-1 in favor of adopting an area code split in the 760 region back in April, a coalition of public entities from Southern California are appealing that decision and asking the commission to take another vote, this time in favor of overlaying the current 760 area code region.
In response to the appeal, the CPUC hosted two public meetings earlier this month, one in Carlsbad and one in Victorville.
Those meetings were overseen by CPUC Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon, the only member of the five-person committee to reject the original area-code split proposal that would have given a new 442 area code to Borrego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Julian, Oceanside, Pauma Valley, Pendleton, Ramona, San Marcos, Valley Center, Vista and Warner Springs.
The meeting in Carlsbad saw more than 300 participants commenting in favor of an overlay, rather than the split the CPUC approved in April.
In Victorville, Cash was the only speaker present at the beginning of the meeting. After Cash left the meeting, others arrived to speak on the area code issue.
While at the meeting, Cash spoke directly with Simon about the county’s concerns, including costs that would be incurred by local businesses that may have to reprint business cards and other contact information if they add or change phone numbers, and the inconvenience to residents who would be required to dial nine digits for every phone call if the area code split is approved.
According to Cash, a group called Kern River Valley Revitalization is currently petitioning the CPUC to hold a public hearing regarding the area code split appeal closer to home, possibly in Ridgecrest, to allow residents of Kern, Inyo and Mono counties to comment.
The CPUC is scheduled to discuss the 760 area code split appeal at its next meeting on Thursday, Oct. 16.
The 760 area code serves an area in the most southern part of California that extends from Inyo and Mono counties, to the Nevada and Arizona borders, to the Mexico border and west to northern San Diego County. At 46,666 square miles, its area is equal to almost a third of the entire state of California. Geographically, 760 is the largest area code in the state.
The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) estimated last year that the 760 area code will run out of numbers in the third quarter of 2009, but already some residents must wait days to have local numbers assigned to them.
Back in April, the CPUC decided that a geographic split of the area code should be designed to separate the rural area, which comprises the geographic majority of the 760 area code, from the densely populated, fast-growing northern San Diego County, which is causing the congestion.
Major phone companies such as Verizon Wireless, Pacific Bell Telephone Company, AT&T California, Sprint Nextel Corporation, New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC, AT&T Mobility, Omnipoint Communications Inc., T-Mobile, Sprint-Nextel and Verizon California, Inc. have argued in favor of the overlay, which would be easier to implement.
The CPUC has removed mention of comment deadlines from its Web site, and the Board of Supervisors is recommending that residents send comments in favor of the geographic split before the Oct. 16 CPUC meeting.
Comments may be mailed to CPUC Public Advisor, Los Angeles Office RE: 760 Ruling #D.08-04-058 320 West 4th Street, Ste. 500 Los Angeles, CA 90013-2352. Comments may also be called in to (866) 340-6147; faxed to (213) 576-7052 or e-mailed to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
