Utility Regulators to Split 818 Area Code

State regulators have unveiled eight possible ways to divide up the 818 area code, hoping that the many choices will mollify telephone users who may be concerned that the change will be costly and annoying.

Telephone industry experts say changes in the code are necessary because computer modems, fax machines, pagers and cellular phones are rapidly eating up phone numbers, which are expected to dry up by 2001 in the 818 area if nothing is done.

The numbers crunch has left regulators little choice but to add another area code to the 818 region, either through a geographic division or by laying a new area code “on top of” the existing one, according to state public utilities spokeswoman Kyle Devine. The latter involves giving new phone lines a new area code, even though that code would cover the same geographical area as the 818 code.

Critics charge that the constant revision of area codes is putting a financial squeeze on businesses, which must print new promotional materials and notify their customers. Residents say they don’t want to dial 11 digits just to talk to a neighbor or the police department.

Two of the eight proposals involve dividing the San Fernando Valley into a northeast quadrant, consisting of Glendale, Burbank, La Crescenta, Sun Valley and Pacoima west to Northridge. A southwest quadrant would stretch from Agoura to North Hollywood.

Under that scenario, one area would keep the 818 area code and the other would be assigned a new one.

Another alternative calls for current San Fernando Valley residents to keep their 818 area code while any new phone services would require using a new area code overlay.

Two new area codes also could be phased in two or three geographic divisions--including a strip from North Hollywood to Glendale, another from Agoura to Van Nuys, and a third from Northridge east to La Canada Flintridge.

Finally, there is the possibility of an overlay combined with a geographic division, cutting the Valley down the center near the San Diego Freeway, into eastern and western halves, with one region getting a new area code. In the remaining 818 area, new phone subscribers would receive an overlay code.