Questions and Answers on the 915 Area Code Split Q. Why do we need the new 432 and 325 area codes? A. Due to population growth and the increased use of additional lines, fax machines, computer modems, pagers and cellular phones, the quantity of 915 phone numbers is nearly exhausted. To accommodate this situation, the new 432 and 325 area codes have been added. Q. Who will receive the new 432 and 325 codes? A. The 915 area code will be split into three specific geographic regions, leaving the 915 area code in the western-most region, assigning 432 to the central portion of the three regions, and assigning 325 to the eastern-most portion of the three regions. Q. What areas are included in the three regions? A. The new 915 region will include the areas of Canutillo, Clint, Dell City, Desert Haven, El Paso, Fabens, Ft. Hancock, Guadalupe Peak, Mile High, Sierra Blanca and Vinton. The new 325 region will include the areas of: Abilene, Albany, Anson, Baird, Ballinger, Bangs, Barnhart, Bend, Big Lake, Big Valley, Blackwell, Blanket, Bradshaw, Brady, Bronte, Brownwood, Buffalo Gap, Burkett, Carlsbad, Cherokee, Christoval, Clyde, Coleman, Colorado City, Comanche, Crews, Doole, Eden, Eldorado, Eola, Fredonia, Goldthwaite, Gustine, Hamby, Hamlin, Hawley, Hermleigh, Junction, Katemcy, Kingsland, Lake Brownwood, Lake Coleman, Lawn, Llano, Locker, Lohn, London, Loraine, Lueders, Maryneal, Mason, McCaulley, Melvin, Menard, Mercury, Merkel, Mertzon, Miles, Moran, Mozelle, Mullin, Newburg, Nolan, Noodle, Norton, Nubia, Ozona, Paint Rock, Pontotoc, Potosi, Priddy, Putnam, Richland Springs, Robert Lee, Roby, Rochelle, Rockwood, Roscoe, Rotan, Rowena, San Angelo, San Saba, Santa Anna, Snyder, Sonora, Stamford, Star, Sterling City, Streeter, Sweetwater, Sylvester, Tow, Trent, Tuscola, Valera, Voca, Water Valley, Westbrook, Wingate, Winters, and Zephyr. The new 432 region will include the areas of: Ackerly, Alamito, Alpine, Andrews, Balmorhea, Big Bend National Park, Big Canyon, Big Spring, Calamity Creek, Coahoma, Comstock, Coyanosa, Crane, East Hobbs, Forsan, Fort Davis, Frankel City, Ft. Stockton, Garden City, Goldsmith, Grand Falls, Heath Canyon, Imperial, Iraan, Kermit, Lajitas, Langtry, Lenorah, Lomax, Luther, Marathon, Marfa, McCamey, Mentone, Midkiff, Midland, Monahans, Odessa, Orla, Pecos, Presidio, Pyote, Rankin, Redford, Sand Springs, Sanderson, Seminole. Sheffield, Six Shooter, Stanton, St. Lawrence, Terlingua, Terminal, Toyah, Valentine, Van Horn, Vincent, West Stanton, and Wink. Q. Will my area code change? A. Central Texas Telephone Cooperative, Inc. has a complete listing of each telephone number that will be affected by the 915 area code split. If you are unsure if your telephone number falls within one of the above-listed regions, please contact Central Texas Telephone Cooperative, Inc. at 1-800-535-8904 or 811 in the CTTC service area to inquire whether your telephone number is affected. Q. When will the new 432 and 325 area codes go into effect? A. The new area codes will be activated on April 5, 2003. To ease the transition and give everyone enough time to make any necessary equipment changes, there will be a "permissive" dialing period from April 5, 2003 until October 4, 2003. During this permissive period, calls to the 325 and 432 area codes will complete using either the new area codes or the old 915 area code. Q. When can we start using the new 325 and 432 area codes? A. Callers should begin using the new area codes as of April 5, 2003, the beginning of the permissive dialing period. Q. What happens if I call a number whose area code has changed from the 915 to the 325 or 432 area code? A. During the permissive dialing period, you can dial either the old or new area code and be connected. However, we encourage you to dial the new 325 or 432 area codes to become familiar with the change. Q. What happens on October 4, 2003 or later when I call a number whose area code has changed from 915 to either 432 or 325? A. If you use the correct new area code, your call will complete. However, if you misdial and use the 915 area code where inappropriate between October 4, 2003 and December 6, 2003, you will receive a recording stating approximately that: "The area code for the number you dialed is 325 (or 432). Please dial 325 (or 432) plus the telephone number you wish to call." Thus, you will have to hang-up and redial. After December 6, 2003, you will no longer receive this recording, instead, you will reach a wrong number message if you don't use the correct area code. Q. Will this area code change affect optional services? A. Yes, in some cases. If you use Call Forwarding, Selective Call Forwarding, Remote Access to Call Forwarding, Speed Dialing, Call Blocking, or Voice Dial you will need to reprogram any 915 telephone numbers for which the area code is changing to either 325 or 432. During the permissive dialing period, when calls to the 915 area code can still be made using either the old or new area codes, customers with Call Blocker or Selective Call Forwarding will need to program numbers in the new area codes with both the old and new area codes. Q. Do I need to change the way I dial long distance calls? A. The way you dial a long-distance call will not change. You will continue to dial 0+ or 1+ the area code and the seven-digit phone number. All credit card and operator-assisted long-distance calling procedures will remain the same as well. Q. Will my monthly service and/or long-distance rates change as a result of the 915 area code split? A. No. All calls that are local today will continue to be local calls, regardless of the area code change. Calls that are currently long distance will remain long distance calls. Rates for local and long distance service will not be affected by the addition of the new area code. Q. What other calls or services are not affected by the 915 area code split? A. Emergency calls to 911 will remain the same. Directory assistance calls and information-type calls to 211, 411, 511, 711, etc. will not change. Calls to 800, 888, 877, and 900 numbers will not change. Q. How will everyone be notified of the area code split? A. The public is being alerted to the area code change through news releases, telephone bill messages and inserts, public service announcements, and in some cases letters. These notifications will occur during 2003 up to October 4, 2003. Q. What area code will be displayed on my Caller ID unit when the call originates in the new 432 or 325 area codes? A. During the permissive dialing period, the Caller ID data base will convert its records: Between April 5, 2003 and October 4, 2003 Caller ID will transition from the old code to the new codes. By October 4, 2003, all calls originating from the new area codes will appear on the Caller ID unit as either 325 or 432 and the seven-digit phone number. Q. Will my ISDN equipment require changes for the new area code?. A. If your equipment uses 7 digits for the phone number there will be no change; if it uses 10 digits you will have to correct the area code. Also, the Service Profile IDentifier (SPID) will not change on existing service. If your equipment automatically changes SPIDs, you will have to reset it to its prior SPID number. Q. Do wireless telephones and other communications devices need to be reprogrammed to accept the new area code? A. In most cases, yes. Please check with your specific service provider. It is likely that your wireless phone will have to be reprogrammed between April 5, 2003 and October 4, 2003 to the new 325 or 432 area codes. While you should check with your service provider, your burglar alarm or pager notification settings may also require the new area code. Q. My area code is changing. What steps should be taken to get ready for the new area code? A. 1. Numbers with affected area codes will have to be re-entered on automatic dialers, speed dial, call forwarding, or voice dial. 2. Preprinted forms, checks, stationary, etc. should be updated to reflect the new area code. 3. Make sure friends, family, and customers know your new area code. 4. Between April 5, 2003 and October 4, 2003 reprogram or change communications equipment such as wireless phones, PBX's, fax machines, modems, pagers, etc. to update the area code. 5. For call blocker or selective call forwarding, make sure numbers are entered with both the old and new area codes until October 4, 2003 when only the new area code is required.