BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION  

In the Matter of Area Code Relief for ) DOCKET NO. UT-990219   
the 360 Number Plan Area Filed by )
Lockheed Martin, IMS, for the  )
Washington State Telecommunications ) ORDER IMPLEMENTING AREA
Industry in the Form of an Overlay  ) CODE RELIEF PLAN
and Creation of the 564 Plan Area  )  
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . )  

BACKGROUND

  On September 13, 1999, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator 
(NANPA),  Lockheed Martin, IMS, filed with the Commission the final plan to 
relieve the anticipated shortage of telephone numbers in the current 360 area 
code.  On September 22, 1999, Lockheed Martin, IMS, presented to the Commission 
the telecommunications industry plan for a new area code, “564", and an overlay 
implementation proposal to address the projected number exhaust in the “360" 
number plan area.

MEMORANDUM

  Under rules promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission, ten-digit 
dialing is required for all local calls made within the geographic area where 
an overlay is implemented.  The NANPA final plan establishes February 5, 2000, 
as the beginning of permissive dialing period for customers in the 360 area to 
dial ten-digits or seven-digits when placing a local call, and July 29, 2000, 
as the date on which ten-digit dialing will become mandatory.

  Pursuant to the telecommunications industry plan, the Commission will monitor 
implementation of the area code overlay.  The industry will file a quarterly 
report to include education plans, media and customer correspondence, and 
implementation progress with the Commission.  The industry will additionally 
provide information on public education plans, and make a demonstration that 
the industry’s plan and spending levels are sufficient to ensure that members 
of the public will have the information necessary for appropriate telephone 
number dialing.  

  The industry will further report on the timely progress of the installation 
of the additional E911 tandem router switch upgrades that are necessary for 
prefix (NXX) codes from the new 564 area code to reach emergency services once 
installed.  The industry will work closely with the 911 representatives to 
assure proper identification of new NPA NXX codes added under the overlay 
provisions.

  The Commission also recommends that the number administrator take steps in 
NXX (prefix) assignments such that impacts in the rural areas are kept to a 
minimum.  The Commission may  request industry representatives and 
representatives of Lockheed Martin, IMS, to bring information and respond to 
questions at Commission open public meetings during the implementation period.  

FINDINGS OF FACT

  1.  Lockheed Martin, IMS, is the North American Number Plan Administrator and 
has authority to make recommendations to address number exhaust and area code 
expansion.

  2.  Lockheed Martin, IMS, filed a proposal on behalf of the Washington State 
telecommunications industry to address projected exhaust of the “360" Number 
Plan Area.

  3.  Lockheed Martin, IMS, filed a plan to overlay “564" number plan area over 
the existing “360" number plan area, with a permissive dialing pattern to begin 
on February 5, 2000, and a mandatory dialing pattern to begin on July 29, 2000.

  4.  Lockheed Martin, IMS, filed a plan to overlay “”564" number plan area on 
the “360" number plan area

  5.  The Commission finds that sufficient information has been provided to 
show that there is technical capability in the Washington State 
telecommunications network to complete the plan as proposed.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

  1.  The Commission has jurisdiction pursuant to RCW 80.36.610, which 
authorizes the Commission to conduct proceedings and take actions contemplated 
for action by state commissions under the federal telecommunications act of 
1996, 110 Stat. 56.  That act, as implemented by the Federal Communications 
Commission, authorizes state commissions to consider and appropriate action on 
area code relief plans.  47 U.S.C. §251(e)(1); 47 C.F.R. §52.19(a).

  2.  The Lockheed Martin, IMS, area code plan as proposed should be accepted.

ORDER

  THE COMMISSION ORDERS:

  1.  The telecommunications industry in Washington must file quarterly reports 
on the implementation of the overlay area code “564", the first such report to 
be filed December 1, 1999, and every three months thereafter until 
implementation is complete.  

  2.  The industry will file information on the public education plan and make 
a demonstration that the industry’s plan and spending level are sufficient to 
ensure that members of the public will have the information necessary for 
appropriate telephone number dialing.

  3.  The industry will file information on the progress of the installation of 
the E911 tandem router switch upgrades that are necessary for prefix (NXX)  
codes from the new 564 area code to reach emergency services once installed.  
The industry will work closely with the 911 representatives to assure proper 
identification of new NPA NXX codes added under the overlay provisions. 

  
  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 13th day of October, 1999.

WASHINGTON  UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION



      CAROLE J. WASHBURN, Secretary