Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
302 West Washington
Street, Room 306
Indianapolis Indiana 46204
317.232.2297 office
317.233.1982 fax
It’s
time for residents in northern Indiana to begin using their new area codes. For the past few months, callers could dial
219 or their new area code and the call would connect. But, beginning June 14th the
mandatory dialing begins—and callers must use the new area code.
Forty-five
days after June 14, callers will hear a recorded message, which explains that
they must use the new area code and they will be instructed to redial.
Calls
to 911 will not be affected. Local
calling areas and rates will not change.
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 split became
necessary because the phone companies were quickly using up the prefix codes,
which are the first three numbers of a seven-digit phone number. The geographic split was found to be the
least disruptive in the long term, providing relief from congestion for the
longest period of time, which is projected to be approximately 20-years.
Because the areas were so similar, the Commission held a
drawing in July 2001 to determine which geographic area would keep the 219 area
code. By the luck of the draw the northwest third of Indiana, which includes
the Gary-Lake County area, kept the 219 area code. The middle section, which includes the South Bend-Elkhart area,
was assigned the 574 area code and the northeast third, which includes the Fort
Wayne area, was given the 260 area code.
A detailed map which shows cities and counties can
be accessed at www.in.gov/iurc.
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