New Jersey's 856 Area Code To Be Launched Saturday

New Jersey's 856 Area Code To Be Launched Saturday

Callers Should Begin Dialing New Code, Reprogramming Phone Equipment

June 8, 1999

NEWARK, N.J. -- About half of the residents of southern New Jersey will have a new area code Saturday and callers are urged to begin dialing the new 856 code on that day.

In early February, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities voted to split the existing 609 area code to create millions of new local numbers to meet growing consumer telecommunication needs. The new code will be created through an east-west split of the 609 area code, with the eastern side retaining the 609 numbers and the western side receiving new 856 numbers.

"There will be a period of adjustment for residents and businesses in southern New Jersey," said William Freeman, president of Bell Atlantic-New Jersey. "It is our hope that this adjustment will be as painless as possible for our customers and that the next five months will give them the time they need to minimize the impact on their businesses and their routines."

For the five-month period of June 12 to Nov. 12, calls placed to telephone numbers in the 856 area code will be completed whether or not the new code is dialed. Beginning Nov. 13, calls to the new area code will not be completed unless the 856 code is dialed. For a limited period of time after that date, callers who forget to first dial the 856 area code will hear a recording that tells them the calls cannot be completed as dialed, reminds them that a new area code has been implemented and instructs them to redial the number with the new area code. Bell Atlantic is urging all its customers to tell their friends, family and business associates about the area code changes so that they do not miss calls.

(A list of exchanges in the new 856 area code are included at the end of this release.)

Creation of the new area code will not affect rates or local calling within the region. Local calls will still be local calls, even though some customers may have to dial a "1" and the area code to complete the call. Such "1-plus the area code" local calling is most likely to occur for persons living near the new area code boundary.

During the next five months, Bell Atlantic will conduct a customer- education program to inform area residents of the changes and urge them to reprogram their telecommunications equipment and services, including computer modems, autodialers, speed dialing, call forwarding, voice dialing, security and medical alarms, to reflect the new area code.

The demand for new telephone numbers is exploding as people are communicating more than ever using additional phone lines, cellular phones, pagers, computer modems and fax machines. In addition, with Bell Atlantic having provided an open telephone market in New Jersey, dozens of other communications companies offer local phone service, and these competing companies require phone numbers for their customers.

Further information about the area code changes may be obtained by calling Bell Atlantic at 1-800-409-8773 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by visiting the Bell Atlantic Web site at www.bellatlantic.com/areacode.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With 43 million telephone access lines and nine million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries.

Local Exchange Codes To Be Included In New 856 Area Code

205 210 216 218 222 223 224 225 227 228 231 232

233 234 235 237 240 241 244 245 246 248 249 251

253 255 256 262 270 271 273 274 276 277 284 289

293 299 302 303 307 309 310 312 317 318 321 322

323 325 327 328 331 337 338 339 342 346 349 350

351 354 355 356 357 358 359 363 365 367 374 377

379 380 384 385 401 414 415 416 422 423 424 427

428 429 433 435 437 438 439 445 446 447 451 453

454 455 456 459 461 464 467 468 470 473 474 475

477 478 479 481 482 483 486 488 489 507 515 521

531 532 533 535 536 537 539 540 541 542 543 544

545 546 547 549 563 564 565 566 568 573 574 580

582 589 591 593 595 596 598 600 608 610 613 614

616 619 622 623 627 629 630 635 642 644 649 650

651 657 661 662 663 665 667 668 669 672 674 675

678 681 686 690 691 692 694 696 697 701 715 718

719 721 722 727 728 733 736 738 740 741 742 746

751 752 753 754 755 756 757 761 762 764 765 767

768 769 770 772 773 776 778 779 782 783 784 785

786 787 788 793 794 795 796 797 802 809 810 813

821 824 825 829 831 833 837 840 842 843 845 848

851 853 854 855 857 858 863 864 866 869 873 874

875 878 879 881 885 891 899 901 910 914 916 917

931 933 935 938 939 940 946 960 962 963 964 966

968 969 974 975 979 983 985 988 994 996