Phone Firms Urged to Return Unused Numbers
In an effort to further delay the need for a new area code in the 310 region, Assemblyman Wally Knox (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles) on Friday urged phone companies to voluntarily return unused phone numbers for redistribution to carriers in need of numbers.
The lawmakers’ latest request was made in formal comments filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, which is set to review the 310 area code issue at its Sept. 2 meeting.
A draft decision concludes that it is too late to save the 310 region--which covers West Los Angeles and the South Bay--from a new area code. Under the proposed decision, an overlay area code--424--would be added Oct. 16 to cover the communities now served by 310.
Knox and Villaraigosa urged the commission to reject the proposed decision as well as any other new area code plan for 310 until regulators have exhausted all number conservation options.
Barring that, the lawmakers asked the commission to delay the Oct. 16 introduction of the 424 code to allow time for further appeals.
Commissioner Joel Hyatt has said he plans to offer for commission review on Sept. 2 an alternative plan that would steer clear of adding a new code in 310.
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