'929' Overlay Code Assigned to Outer Boroughs
STERLING, Va., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Neustar, Inc. (NYSE: NSR), serving in its capacity as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), announced today that an additional area code (929) has been assigned to the existing 718 and 347 area codes that serve the outer boroughs of New York City -- namely the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. The dialing pattern, which is already in effect in the New York City area, requires all local calls within and between the 718 and 347 area codes and the new 929 area code to be dialed by using 1+10 digit dialing. Existing 718 and 347 telephone numbers will not change.
Neustar has forecasted that numbering resources in the 718 and 347 area codes will exhaust by 2012. The New York Public Service Commission has directed all local exchange service providers to activate the new 929 area code to ensure the availability of numbering resources in a manner that is most efficient and least confusing for consumers, while minimizing possible disruption to consumers and businesses. Telephone service providers will begin customer education in mid-year in preparation for the introduction of the new 929 area code.
A telecommunications industry group comprised of service providers from various industry segments collectively develops area code relief plans for New York. Relief activities for area codes in New York are overseen by Neustar.
Neustar was selected by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve as the NANPA, the neutral third-party administrator that works with the telecommunications industry in developing area code relief plans. NANPA also oversees the assignment of area codes, central office codes, carrier identification codes, and other numbering resources throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda and 16 Caribbean countries.