A second area code for those already in the 805 will mean a different way of calling for people on the Central Coast, with a 6-month practice period kicking off Dec. 1.
Citing a dearth of available phone numbers, the California Public Utilities Commission earlier this year approved a new area code overlay, adding 820 to the same geographical area.
In making the decision, the PUC declined to divide the 805 area code so that residential and business customers can keep their current phone numbers.
However, with the 805/820 area code overlay, customers will have to dial “1” plus the three-digit area code for all calls from landline telephone numbers with the 805 and 820 area codes.
For cellphone calls, the area code needs to be used for those local numbers but dialing 1 is not necessary, according to Christopher Chow, a PUC spokesman.
Once the area code overlay goes into effect next year, people who don’t use an area code for those local calls will get an error message.
After six months, or on June 2, the permissive dialing period ends and an area code will become mandatory for all residential and business customers making local calls.
Beginning June 30, consumers requesting new or additional telephone numbers for services may be assigned telephone numbers with either the new 820 area code or the original 805 area code, depending on the available telephone number inventory.
PUC officials also noted that people will need to reprogram equipment or features that currently use 7-digit dialing, including automatic dialers, life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, speed-dialing, call forwarding, voicemail services, modems for computer or Internet dial-up access, and other similar services or equipment.
Residents and businesses also need to ensure that alarms and security systems are reprogrammed to include the area code.
Despite the new area code overlay, consumers will still be able to dial three digits to reach 911, 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, and 811.
The decision to adopt an overlay included public meetings in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Oxnard.
At least one speaker lobbied for keeping the 805 area code in San Luis Obispo County “because the Firestone [Walker] Brewery in Paso Robles makes 805 beer.”
The 805 area code serves small portions of Monterey and Kern Counties and most of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
A previous switch in 1999, divided the 805 area code and meant the Cuyama Valley and other inland communities landed in a new 661 zone.
The 805 area code originally was created in 1957, splitting from the 213 area code and covering the coastal and inland areas north of Los Angeles.
State officials said California and others have successfully implemented approximately 60 area code overlays throughout the nation. to meet the continual demand for more telephone numbers.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.