Get
ready to change the way you dial your local calls in Connecticut
To ensure a continuing supply of
telephone numbers in the state of Connecticut, the Department of Public Utility
Control ordered two Area Code Overlays in Connecticut. The 475 area code will
be added later this year to the area served by 203 and the 959 area code will
be added at a future date to the area served by 860.
What is an Area Code
Overlay?
An overlay is the addition of
another area code (475) to the same geographic region as an existing area code
(203). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing
area code or phone number.
Who Will be Affected?
All Connecticut customers with a 203
or 860 number will have to change the way they dial local calls. The new 475
area code will serve customers in the same geographic region as the current 203
area code and the new 959 area code, when implemented, will serve customers in
the same geographic region as the current 860 area code.
What Will be the New
Dialing Procedure?
To complete local calls, the new dialing
procedure requires callers to dial area code + telephone number. This means that all local calls in Connecticut that are
currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using area code +
telephone number.
Beginning November 14, 2009, you must use the new dialing
procedure for all local calls in Connecticut. If you do not use the new
dialing procedure, your call will not be completed, and a recording will
instruct you to hang up and dial again.
Beginning December 12, 2009, new telephone lines or services may be
assigned numbers with the 475 area code.
The new 959 area code telephone
numbers will be assigned at a future date. No dates have been announced at this
time.
What Will You Need to Do?
In addition to changing your dialing procedure,
all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are
programmed with a 7-digit telephone number will need to be reprogrammed to use
the new dialing procedure. Some examples are life safety systems, fax
machines, Internet dial-up numbers,
alarm and security systems, gates,
speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail
services, and similar functions. Be sure to check your business
stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID
tags to ensure the area code is included.
What Will Remain the
Same?
Your telephone number, including current area code,
will not change.
What is a local call now will remain a local call
regardless of the number of digits dialed.
The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and
services will not change due to the overlay.
You can still dial just three digits to reach 911.
If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 and 811 are currently
available in your community you will still dial them with just three
digits
Call us if you'd like us to verify whether your PBX and other equipment is ready for this change. 203-649-6405
Happy Fall! This is my favorite time of the year. I just love when it starts to get cold and you get to break out the sweaters! Hope everyone had a wonderfully fun, prosperous summer. Now comes the push for the last quarter.
