Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
302 West Washington
Street, Room 306
Indianapolis
Indiana 46204
317.232.2297 office
317.233.1982 fax
Contact: Mary Beth Fisher
On June 14, 2001, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved a
three-way geographic split relief plan for the area now served by the 219 area
code. The new area code numbers will be
574 and 260.
On Wednesday, July 11, 2001, there will be a drawing to determine which
region will keep the 219 area code, and what numbers will be assigned to the
other regions. That drawing will take
place at the regular Conference hearing at 1:30 p.m., in the Commissioner’s
Courtroom – Room E306 of the Indiana Government Center South, Indianapolis,
Indiana.
The implementation of the 219 relief plan begins with the introduction
of the new area codes through a series of educational efforts by the telephone
companies. It will be followed by a
six-month “permissive” dialing period.
During that time, customers can use either the old 219 or the new area
code to place calls within the new area code.
Mandatory use of the new area codes will begin mid-year, 2002. When mandatory dialing takes effect, callers
who do not use the new area code will receive a recorded message reminding them
that the area code has been changed.
They will be required to redial the number using the correct area
code. The recorded reminder will be
available for approximately three months.
The introduction of the new area codes will not affect the price of
telephone calls. Local calls will
remain local calls regardless of the area code dialed.
The numbers are administered by NeuStar, Inc., which was selected by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve as the Northern American
Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).
NANPA is a neutral, third-party administrator that works with the
telecommunications industry to develop area code relief plans, and oversees the
assignment of area codes, three-digit center office codes, carrier
identification codes and other numbering resources throughout the United
States, Canada, Bermuda and many Caribbean islands.
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