Utilities Commission Approves 10-Digit Dialing for Local Calls in 704 Area Code Region

Picking what it said was the best of several imperfect solutions, the N.C. Utilities Commission voted 6-1 on Sept. 15 to “overlay” a second area code within the existing 704 area code, meaning that all local calls there will require dialing 10 numbers once the plane goes into effect.

Although it's expected to take 18 months to implement the conversion, officials said the process will begin this month when the new area code will be assigned within the current 704 region. The new area code will be picked by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, an agency managed for the federal government by Lockheed Martin IMS. The next step will follow in late October or early November when all telephone companies providing service in the 704 area code region must file comments with the Utilities Commission proposing the steps they will take to implement the 10-digit dialing plan.

Everyone in the 704 region, which includes Charlotte, will keep their current phone numbers and area code. Once the plan is in place, all new phone, fax, data and cellular lines will be assigned to the “overlay” area code. That means it is likely that many businesses and residential customers will have telephones in the same locations with different area codes.

The Utilities Commission stressed that, even though customers will be dialing local calls as if they were long distance, there will be no toll charges.

In its order, the Commission said it is "extremely concerned that North Carolina citizens who will be impacted by the overlay receive effective and timely information about all aspects of the overlay, but particularly the 10-digit dialing that will be required for all local calls. Though we heard little feedback from the public on the proposal," the Commission order continued. "we expect to hear more about the implementation." The agency directed all telephone company providers in the 704 region to begin customer education and outreach efforts "as soon as possible."

Such “overlay” numbering systems already are used in New York City, Atlanta and the entire state of Maryland.

Although the Charlotte area will be the first in the state to have 10-digit local dialing, Utilities Commission Chairman Joan Sanford said a meeting has been scheduled for November to begin planning what to do in the 919 area code, where available numbers are running out.

Utilities Commissioner Judy Hunt dissented from the order.

The only other viable alternative before the Commission was to split the current 704 area code region into two area codes. However, that would mean that thousands of customers would have new telephone numbers. When the Commission took that step last year in the Triad area there was a huge public outcry.