Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

New 870 Area Code In Effect April 14

Arkansans are being reminded by the state's telecommunications service providers that the six-month transitional dialing period for the new 870 area code will begin Monday, April 14, 1997.

The transitional dialing period provides a six-month window when callers should begin using the new area code to familiarize themselves with it. Required dialing, when the callers must use the new area code, will begin Monday, October 6, 1997.

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

The new area code won't affect 9-1-1 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. Long-distance calls will continue to require a "O" or a "1" plus the area code and the seven-digit number.

The transitional dialing period was designed to provide a sufficient amount of time for customers to become accustomed to the new area code.

During the transitional dialing period. Arkansas telecommunications service providers will be conducting a comprehensive education campaign to inform their Arkansas customers about how to use the new area code. The campaign may include a variety of customer mailings, bill inserts, bill messages, news announcements and other communications.

During the transitional period, customers dialing local or long distance can use either the 501 or 870 area code and their calls will be completed. However, after required dialing begins 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 ask the caller to hand up and dial again using the correct area code.

All 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 businsess cards to reflect the new area code. This is particularly important for companies that operate resorts and other tourism-related businesses 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 bing encouragaed 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 Commissioner November 25, 1996, directed the implementation of a new area code through an east, west geography split.

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