What are you thoughts, ideas, and opinions on WVs new 681 area code? (Charleston: apartment)

[GottaHerdOn]

So there has been a lot of news about WV no longer having just 304 as an area code. We are evidently getting 681 within the next year, and the Public Service Commission has decided to divide the state into two halves. The southern part, including Charleston and Huntington keeping 304, while northern, and eastern getting the new 681 area code. This has caused a lot of controversy. My home county of Randolph would be one of the counties getting a new area code while my apartment here in Huntington would still be 304. An overlay option has been discussed as well as others. Ideas, comments, opinions????

[tbailey1138]

I think the easiest and best fix would be to change the area codes of all cell phones to 681, thus keeping the 304 for existing businesses and residents as well as not having to make a long distance call to your neighbor across the street who just moved in. Geographical division makes sense but will cost way to much for those who have to change all of their advertising info. New customers getting the new number would be the easiest but would create a lot of confusion as they have said that you would have to dial the area code and thus it would be long distance even if the person is your next door neighbor. By changing cell phones though, everyone has to get a new cell phone contract every 1-2 years so the new area code could be immediately given to new customers and quickly changed in existing customers. Then it would be easier to ID a land phone from a cell phone when checking the caller ID. Just my 2 cents.
Tim

[sarahreed87]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

So there has been a lot of news about WV no longer having just 304 as an area code. We are evidently getting 681 within the next year, and the Public Service Commission has decided to divide the state into two halves. The southern part, including Charleston and Huntington keeping 304, while northern, and eastern getting the new 681 area code. This has caused a lot of controversy. My home county of Randolph would be one of the counties getting a new area code while my apartment here in Huntington would still be 304. An overlay option has been discussed as well as others. Ideas, comments, opinions????

I dont think it will bother me too much because I'll have to change my number anyway, and I'll have only one number probably....

I mean, most states have a ton of area codes... so although it would be inconvenient for a while it might be for the best long term..

[sarahreed87]

we posted at the exact same time. now, if im on here on a saturday night.. you can see why I am so easily amused...

[harborlady]

Originally Posted by tbailey1138

I think the easiest and best fix would be to change the area codes of all cell phones to 681, thus keeping the 304 for existing businesses and residents as well as not having to make a long distance call to your neighbor across the street who just moved in. Geographical division makes sense but will cost way to much for those who have to change all of their advertising info. New customers getting the new number would be the easiest but would create a lot of confusion as they have said that you would have to dial the area code and thus it would be long distance even if the person is your next door neighbor. By changing cell phones though, everyone has to get a new cell phone contract every 1-2 years so the new area code could be immediately given to new customers and quickly changed in existing customers. Then it would be easier to ID a land phone from a cell phone when checking the caller ID. Just my 2 cents.
Tim

agree 100% with this idea. what a mess it becomes having to cypher through every phone book, rolodex, contact list for businesses and govt ad infinitum. when it happened up here, it caused problems for over 5 years, especially for those outside folks not knowing the new area code changes just lost their contacts with biz & friends.

unless wv is planning explosive growth, its a bad idea. If cells and fax #'s are causing the demand, they should get the new area code.

[GottaHerdOn]

I like the idea of Tim's, making all cell phones the new area code while leaving 304 for landlines.

[David Kennedy]

Why is this an issue at all...for the first time since we canned the rotary phone something progressive is happening. Area Codes are added to regions of the world almost daily...Why is it a problem in Wv? Where's the money in this? The money trail always leads to MoJo...why is this a problem? (To my understanding, the PSC reveiwed this issue and recomended the new area code...now someone in our government wants the overlay area code....what gives? Who gets the money?)

In 10 years when this needs to be done again, will we have an additional 'overlay'?

We are on the verge of having our mailing addresses re-numbered because of the growth here in Northern Wv...What's the big deal about an area code?

With my service now, we must dial 11 digits for long distance and in-state service too..it won't matter what the prefix is.

Is this the typical Wv revolt to change? any change?

[tbailey1138]

It's the businesses that are fighting this change rather than the average resident. Businesses don't want to take on all of the cost involved with changing all of their adds, website info, letter heads, etc. just because they have 3 new numbers in front of their main phone number. I can understand this to some degree with respect to fear from increased cost and decreased revenue if people can't easily contact you. The PSC has stated though that cell phones and fax machines are a large part of the problem. Most who have a land line also have at least one cell phone and I know several people who don't even have a land phone but use their cell phone exclusively. By changing cell phones to the new area code, you have the least amount of disruption to service for businesses and residents and it can be phased in over a 1-2 year period as current contracts expire or you could just have people go to their provider to get their area code changed in 5 minutes. Easiest fix, least disruption, actually makes sense, probably won't even be considered. That's the way things usually go.

And DK, mailing addresses are being renumbered all across the state to make quicker and easier access for postal services but especially for fire and police protection. This has been going on for a few years. My parents had their address completely renumber about 3 years ago as a part of this project.

..:: West Virginia Statewide Addressing and Mapping Board ::..

[David Kennedy]

The phone book ads are renewed each year with a contract and a check. Paper gets used up...websites might be a factor, but they are updated....something is not being said...
Does an un-expected cost for this service loom in the minds of business owners?

What is the disruption? I have called out of state friends who have had their area code changed and I'm given the correct number...I'm missing this...and don't see any difference putting Cell phones on the loop OR land lines.

Area codes define the geographical region of telephone service...we must be on a threshold of need to have this happen..If it needs to be done, why is the PSC or the lardasslaysure even involved...they do not provide anything but an opinion.

[snorpus]

The old Western Pennsylvania 412 AC was split about 10 years ago. In our case, they used a "doughnut" plan. Pittsburgh and Allegheny County retained 412, the surrounding counties became 724. And most of the complaints then are the same as the ones in this thread.

It is much less expensive to reprogram the phone system on a geographic basis. The exchange (the middle 3 digits) corresponds to a specific central office, which serves a specific area. This goes all the way back to the days of named exchanges (TUxedo, MAdison, etc.) and real operators with patch cords. That might seem antiquated today, but the entire local physical plant is constructed to follow that topography.

There probably will be a couple of year transition period, during which businesses can change their ads, you can tell your relatives (you'll always forget one or two), new letterhead stock is printed, etc. The world will not come to an end.

Oh, and if you can still dial local numbers with just 7 digits, expect that to end too. Every number, same exchange, different exchange, same AC, different AC, becomes a 10 digit number.