Orange County Register

Time’s up for all of you with phone numbers in the 714 area code.

You’ve had six months to get used to dialing 1+714+the number when calling others with 714 numbers. Saturday if you try it, you’ll get a recorded message to hang up and redial including the area code.

This is all because north/central O.C. is running out of phone numbers, so the Public Utilities Commission decided to assign new numbers in the region a 657 area code and keep 714 for existing numbers. That’s supposedly less disruptive than slicing it up, as was done when south O.C. became 949.

However, everyone - 714 and 657 owners - must now dial 1+area code before even local numbers.

Cell phone users do have to dial the area code but not the 1, says Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Heidi Flato.

Why? Most states don’t require the 1, even for landline phones, and the Federal Communications Commission doesn’t demand it, she says.

However, the 11-digit dialing “is a technical requirement for landline switches in California,” Flato explains. “Wireless carriers have no technical requirements for 1+10 dialing (although) wireless carriers will complete 1+10 (digit) calls as well.”

Here’s a map of the affected parts of Orange County:

The change will allow new numbers in north and central Orange County to be assigned a 657 area code. The Public Utilities Commission approved this “overlay” rather that assign a new area code geographically as was done with 949 for south O.C. Supposedly, an overlay is less disruptive.

People and businesses living in the 714 area who get a new phone number will receive the 657 area code starting Sept. 23, and they will have to dial 1+657+the number when dialing another 657 number.

Click here to read a story I did recently. Here are answers to some of the questions I got following that story:

• Three-digit numbers like 911 and 411 don’t require an area code
• Your existing phone number won’t change.
• Your out-of-state relatives will dial your area code and number as they have in the past
• Overseas callers will dial your number as they have in the past.
• No, your number won’t change to 714-657-555-5555. You keep 714. Newly assigned numbers will be 657. No one get both.

Chances are, at least 30% of people with 714 phone numbers still aren’t aware of the change, even though the telecommunications companies have been putting notes about it in the monthly bills and local publications. The PUC’s goal for all this advertising is for 70% of the people affected to be aware of the change by today.

You’ll certainly be aware as soon as you try to dial a local number without the 714.

OTHER STORIES:

• Set your phones: You’ll dial 11 digits
• Deadline looms for 11-digit dialing in O.C.
• Next O.C. area code fix: 2021
• Misclassifying independent contractors could be costly
• PUC explains 714/657 overlay
• History of the 714 area code
• Federal regulations most needing reform
• O.C. employers warned to protect against heat illness
• Sweep of local beauty salons results in fines of $54,600

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.