740 Area Code Wireless Permissive Dialing Period
Will Expire June 1, 2001

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is reminding certain wireless customers in the "740" geographical area code that they must have their wireless phone numbers converted from a "614" area code to a "740" area code by June 1, 2001. Wireless calls (cell phones, pagers, mobile radio services, and PCS service) dialed with a "614" area code to the prefixes listed below after June 1, 2001 will no longer be completed. Instead, the call will require the dialing of the "740" area code. 

Customers with the following eighteen NXX codes that currently have the "614" area code must have their numbers converted to the "740" area code by June 1, 2001:

Area Code	NXX	Central Office
614	541	Athens
614	285	Portsmouth
614	290	Waverly
614	319	Zanesville
614	350	Marietta
614	357	Portsmouth
614	359	Steubenville
614	381	Steubenville
614	391	Wheeling
614	230	Portsmouth
614	525	Marietta
614	398	Mount Vernon
614	576	Wheeling
614	584	Cambridge
614	591	Athens
614	632	Steubenville
614	649	Chillicothe
614	831	Thornville

Customers with these NXX codes should contact their Commercial Mobile Radio Services prior to June 1, 2001 to have their wireless numbers reprogrammed to reflect a "740" area code. Wireless calls dialed with the "614" area code after June 1, 2001 to these prefixes will be routed to a recorded announcement and will be blocked. 

In October 1997, the Commission approved an order that geographically split the "614" area code, which allocated the "614" area code to 15 exchanges in Franklin County. The other areas of Ohio within the "614" area code were assigned the "740" area code. Residential and business customers began dialing calls with the "740" area code on June 6, 1998. Wireless dialing services were granted an extension to begin mandatory implementation of the "740" area code from June 6, 1998 to June 1, 2001 to provide wireless companies with additional time for the reprogramming of wireless phone numbers. 

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service and rates. The role of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is to assure all residential, business, and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe, and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices.