Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Area Codes To Change April 16

GTE's April bills will bring some important information about the state's new 870 area code to its nearly 200,000 Arkansas customers. A six- month transitional dialing period for the new area code begins April 16.

During this transititional dialing period, callers should begin using the new area code to familiarize themselves with it. Callers must use the new area code beginning October 6.

The new 870 area code will serve nearly 1.1 million Arkansans in the northeastern, eastern and southern portion of the state, including Harrison, Stuttgart, Jonesboro, West Memphis, Pine Bluff and Texarkana. The 501 area code will continue to serve about 1.2 million people in the nortwestern and central portions of Arkansas, including Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Russellville, Siloam Springs and Little Rock.

The new area code does not affect 911 service, directory assistance, long-distance charges or local service rates.

Local calls within the same area code can still be made using the traditional seven-digit dialing pattern. However, some callers may need to dial 10 digits (the area code plus the seven-digit telephone number) when placing local calls between the 501 and 870 area codes. When in doubt about whether to use seven or 10 digits, a good rule of thumb is to dial 10 digits -- the area code plus the seven-digit number.

Long-distance callers should continue to dial a "0" or a "1" plus the area code and the seven-digit number.

During the transitional period, customers dialing local or long distance can use either the 501 or 870 area code.

However, after next October, callers who mistakenly dial the wrong area code will hear a recorded message that explains the number dialed is either in the 501 or 870 area code. The message then will instruct the caller to dial again using the correct area code.

Business customers throughout the state are being urged to contact their private branch exchange (PBX) vendor to ensure that their PBX and other telecommunications equipment are programmed to send and receive calls related to the 870 area code as well as other area codes around the country.

Additionally, Arkansas businesses should begin making the necessary changes to company letterhead, advertising and promotional materials and business cards to reflect the new area code. This is particularly important for companies that operate resorts and other tourism-related businesess to complete before the summer season.

It is especially important for local businesses with the new 870 area code to advise their customers of the area code addition. That way, they can also modify their PBX systems, if necessary, so that they can properly send and receive calls to and from the new area code as well.

Telephone customers are being encouraged to reprogram residential and business voice dial, speed dial and auto dial services on telephones and fax machines.

Bellcore, the administrator of area codes throughout North America, assigned the 870 area code to Arkansas as the first step to replenish the dwindling supply of available phone numbers in the state after the Arkansas Public Service Commission last November ordered a new area code through an east-west geographic split.

Arkansas is one of many regions across the country receiving new area codes due to the growing number of cellular phones, faxes, modems, pagers, telephones and additional phone lines. Last year, more than 20 new area codes were added across the nation.