For Immediate Release / Dec. 5, 2001

Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339

The order retains the existing 208 area code in southwest Idaho and recommends a new area code from Grangeville north to the Canadian border and a new area code from Hagerman east to the Wyoming border.

The commission rejected recommendations from the Idaho telecommunications industry that Idaho adopt an "all-services overlay" that would assign the area code to new numbers only. While that plan would not require existing telephone users to change their phone numbers, it would require 10-digit dialing for all local calls. "We agree with the Idaho telecommunications industry that an all-services overlay has several desirable attributes," the commission said. "However, the commission finds it impossible to ignore the testimony of customers, who have indicated their preference for a geographic split with near unanimity."

The three-way split received more consideration from the commission after it received written comments and testimony at four public hearings. The commission received 314 written comments and petition signatures from 91 citizens. Twenty-five testified at public hearings.

A number of citizens supported a three-way split as logical because Idaho's geography and communities of interest naturally form three regions. It is also appealing because it would last a significant number of years and yet allow southwestern Idaho to have future area code relief without impacting the rest of the state.

Under the three-way split, the projected exhaust date before another area code may be needed for southwestern Idaho is 13 years. South-central and southeastern Idaho would not need area code relief for 17 years and northern Idaho would retain its new area code for a projected 40 years. Under a two-way split, the area retaining the 208 code would exhaust in eight to 10 years. "The public made it clear that they do not think it is acceptable to exhaust in just eight years," the commission said.

The commission recognizes that its proposal is not in keeping with industry guidelines that say projected exhaust dates should be within 10 years of each other. However, the commission believes Idaho's unique geography and population balance merits exception. "While attempting to balance several public interest goals and after receiving extensive input from industry, local governments and affected consumers, we find that this plan best suits Idaho's individual needs and is in the state's best interest," the commission said. It further noted that the FCC has approved deviations from numbering guidelines, most recently in Missouri and Florida.

The FCC has said that "state commissions are uniquely positioned to determined when, and in what form, to implement area code relief."

"Unfortunately," the commissioners said, "the industry guidelines do not take into account customer input nor do they allow state commissions the flexibility to consider matters beyond those guidelines."

The commission decided to limit the size of the proposed southwest area code from Glenns Ferry west to the border rather than include the Magic Valley with the Treasure Valley as had been proposed by some. The Treasure Valley has about 40 percent of Idaho's telephone customers. By including the Magic Valley with the southeastern hubs of Idaho Falls and Pocatello, the population split is more balanced. Rate centers in the Twin Falls area and the Idaho Falls/Pocatello areas combined account for about 30 percent of Idaho's telephone customers.

The commission received a number of comments from Idaho County residents asking that the county not be split for area code purposes. The White Bird rate center, on the southern edge of the county, currently has local calling with Riggins and McCall to the south, but not with its own county seat of Grangeville. No direct network facilities exist between Grangeville and White Bird, which are each served by different local telephone companies. If the commission had split these regions at the Idaho County line, 10-digit dialing would have been required for some local calls in the White Bird, Riggins, New Meadows and McCall rate centers. Consequently, the commission found it necessary to split Idaho County in order to preserve existing seven-digit dialing.

All in all, the commission prefers that Idaho not undergo area code relief at this time, nor does it believe it to be necessary. The best solution is implementation of number conservation plans that would free up about 5.78 million numbers assigned to telecommunications carriers but not in use, thus delaying the need for a second area code. "Idaho's area code relief is a bureaucratic exercise, and a preventable one at that," the commission said. "Idaho has some of these conservation tools available, but desperately needs the FCC to implement number pooling in Idaho to prevent the premature exhaust of 208."

Currently, numbers are assigned to telecommunications providers in 10,000-number blocks. In March, the FCC will begin to allow number pools that break down those blocks into 1,000-number blocks in 21 calling areas each three months. However, the Boise metropolitan area isn't scheduled for number pooling until March of 2003, two months after mandatory dialing for a new area code would likely begin. On Nov, 6, the Idaho commission filed a petition with the FCC to move the Boise area ahead in the pooling rollout schedule, which would likely extend the life of the 208 area code if granted.

The commission and its staff are also asking telecommunications carriers to voluntarily give up prefixes that have not been activated in six months. As a result, 18 prefixes have been returned by two companies and 12 more will soon be available. Idaho has 792 prefixes assigned, but only 578 are in use. Each prefix frees up 10,000 numbers.