INFORMATION #2 12-13-1999
INFORMATION
.
llj..WEST@
December 1, 1999
Dear City Government Official:
As you have perhaps heard through media reports, consumers and
communities throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area will be impacted
on February 27,2000, when the region served by Minnesota's 612 area
code is split into three different area codes: 612, 763 and 952.
Since your community will be impacted, we are writing on behalf of
Minnesota's telecommunications industry and the Area Code Customer
Education Committee to provide additional information. Attached to this
letter is an area code map and answers to the most frequently asked
questions regarding the area code change.
Additional information, including a preliminary list showing which prefixes
will be working in each area code, is available on the following websites:
.
. Minnesota Telephone Association: www.mnta.org
. US WEST: www.uswest.com/areacodes
If you have questions or require additional information, please contact one of us
or your local telecommunications provider.
Sincerely,
~~~
~-)~
George Blackwell
U S WEST
612-663-8272
Terry Kucera
Minnesota Telephone Association
651-291-7311
Minnesota Area Code Customer Education Committee
.
@ Printed on Recycled Paper
.
.
.
.
Q: Why are these new area codes necessary?
A: Minnesota is running out of telephone numbers in the region served by the 612 area
code due to unprecedented demand for new numbers for services such as fax
machines, pagers, wireless telephones, additional telephone lines and other competitive
services.
Q. Who will have the new area codes?
A. Effective February 27,2000, the region served by the 612 area code will be split into
three different area codes: 612, 763 and 952.
The 612 area code will be kept by Minneapolis, Richfield, St. Anthony and the
Fort Snelling area.
The boundary line separating the 763 area code from the 952 area code
approximately follows Interstate 394. For the most part, communities located
north of 1-394 and to the north and northwest of Minneapolis will be served by the
763 area code. Communities south of 1-394 and to the south and southwest of
Minneapolis will have the 952 area code.
.
The 763 area code will serve Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Circle Pines, Columbia
Heights, Delano, East Bethel, Fridley, Golden Valley, Ham Lake, Isanti,
Lexington, Medicine Lake, Medina, Montrose, Mounds View, Plymouth,
Robbinsdale, Waverly and other communities to the north and northwest.
The 952 area code will serve Apple Valley, Bloomington, Burnsville, Eden
Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Lakeville, Minnetrista, Minnetonka, Mound, (kono, St.
Louis Park, Watertown, Wayzata and other communities to the soutt and
southwest.
Q. When will this change take place?
A. The area code change will be effective on February 27,2000. During a transition
period that will last over ten months, you will be able to use either the new 0 old area
code and local dialing pattern to complete a call. Mandatory use of the new area codes
and ten-digit dialing for local calls between area codes will begin on Januar 14,2001.
Ten-digit local dialing between area codes
.
Q. How does this change the way I make local calls?
Your local calling area is not changing. If a call was a local call before this ~ rea code
change, it is still a local call. If a call was long distance before, it is still a lor g distance
call. However, to make a local phone call between area codes you will net d to dial ten
digits (the three-digit area code plus the seven-digit phone number). You may be
familiar with this ten-digit dialing pattern since it is the same way local calls re made
today between the 612 and 651 area codes. Do not dial a "1" or a "0" be ore the ten-
digit local number. Mandatory use of ten-digit dialing for local calls betwe n area
codes begins on January 14, 2001
Q. Do long distance charges apply if I dial ten digits to make a call?
A. No. If a call was a local call (without a long distance charge) before this area code
change, it is still a local call. Your local calling area is not changing. Long distance
charges do not apply on ten-digit dialed local calls.
.
Q. How will the new area code impact my home telephone service?
A. If you have a new area code, notify those who call you and make plans to change
your area code on such things as stationery and checks. Also, you may need to
reprogram automatic-dialers, fax machines or computer modems before January 14,
2001.
Q. How are businesses impacted?
All businesses should verify that their telephone equipment is capable of completing
calls to the new 763 and 952 area codes. Also, in the Twin Cities local calling area,
some telephone equipment may need to be reprogrammed or upgraded before it is able
to complete a ten-digit local call.
Beginning February 27,2000, businesses should test their telephone equipment to
determine if it recognizes the new 763 and 952 area codes by calling the following test
numbers:
. Within Minneapolis/St. Paul area: 763-571-1599 or 952-895-5000
. Outside Minneapolis/St. Paul area: 1-763-571-1599 or 1-952-895-5000
If a call to the test number does not go through, contact your equipment provider. If
your equipment is not the cause of your problem, please contact your
telecommunications service provider.
.
Q. What if my business has a new area code?
A. You will need to change your area code on such things as stationery, business cards,
and advertisements. Ask your employees to always include your area code whenever
they give out the phone number for your business. Notify your local, national and
international customers and clients that your area code is changing. Tell them you can
be reached through either your new or old area code until January 14, 2001. However,
advise your customers that beginning January 14, 2001, they can only reach you by
using your new area code. To ensure you don't miss any calls, remind your customers
of the possible need to make changes to their equipment. Encourage them to ask their
operator for assistance if they have trouble calling you.
###
.