Calls Grow for ‘Tech-Specific’ Area Codes

With public frustration still mounting over frequent telephone area code changes, state regulators and lawmakers have renewed their push to assign new area codes to mobile phones as well as data lines, ATMs, pagers, debit-card machines and other non-voice services that use phone numbers.

The proposal to establish “technology-specific” overlay area codes has been gaining support in recent months despite vigorous opposition from mobile phone carriers and a long-standing federal prohibition on such numbering plans.

Regulators from California, Connecticut, Ohio and several other states have formally asked the Federal Communications Communications for permission to add area codes specifically for wireless and data users--but only after phone number conservation measures have been exhausted and there is a proven need for a new area code.

The FCC has yet to act on the petitions, but state regulators from Connecticut and New York met with FCC commissioners recently to underscore their support of the new proposals. The state officials are members of the National Assn. of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and serve as the group’s representatives on the North American Numbering Council.

The two state regulators urged the FCC to act quickly on the technology overlay waivers, on further number conservation moves and on the many other pending state requests for area code relief.

In addition, the California Senate added its support June 1, voting 22-13 in favor of a bill by state Sen. Debra Bowen (D-Marina del Rey) that calls for technology-based area codes if the FCC grants the necessary permission.

The bill has gone to the state Assembly. Formal supporters include San Diego County and the Office of Ratepayer Advocates, an independent arm of the California Public Utilities Commission.

Opponents include AT&T; Corp., GTE Corp., WorldCom Inc., Verizon Wireless (formerly AirTouch), Cal-North Cellular, Sprint PCS and various trade groups.

If the FCC grants permission for the technology-based approach, California and other states could implement new area codes to serve a range of wireless and data services. Regulators would have to decide whether the new codes would apply only to new phone numbers for those services or also to existing wireless phones and data lines.

Supporters say assigning new area codes to wireless and data uses would be less expensive and less disruptive to Californians than the alternative, which forces a new code on all residents and businesses in a region.

Wireless companies argue that a technology-specific area code could mean that millions of mobile phone users would have to get their phones reprogrammed, and that creating a separate code unfairly penalizes their industry by making wireless phone numbers less desirable than numbers available through conventional phone lines.

The FCC sided with wireless carriers when they complained that New York’s 1991 introduction of a technology-specific area code was unfair and unlawful.

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Times staff writer Elizabeth Douglass can be reached at elizabeth.douglass@latimes.com.