Southern York County Life

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will hold a hearing in York County as part of the 717 area code region to discuss possible changes.

The public is welcome to attend the hearing on the present area code set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, at the Holiday Inn Express.

Six alternatives will be discussed for ensuring adequate phone numbers are available to people in the region.

Alternatives include adding a new area code and various geographic splits of the existing one.

The York County hearing is one of five such meetings that the PUC is scheduling to deal with the projected changes.

The Holiday Inn Express is located at 140 Leader Heights Road, York Township; the meeting is in conference room 110.

NOTE: The PUC held another meeting earlier and only a few people attended. To my knowledge, this is the first time the PUC has come down to York County. The PUC’s hearings/meetings are usually held in Harrisburg during day time hours. This is everyone’s chance to voice their opinion.

Welcome to the world of deregulation! 

Since I’d happily live with all the proposed options, I don’t really care which one they choose.  I’ve lived in areas where they’ve changed the area codes before.  It all worked out just fine.

I would much rather keep my existing phone number and have those who add phone numbers in the future receive the new area code with their phone number.  I have no problem with dialing the area code (without a “1") for local calls.  I work in Hunt Valley and locations in Maryland have doing that for awhile anyway.

My husband is self employed.  If we only have to add the area code to the existing phone number for local calls it will not create a major problem because people outside the area are already dialing the area code and locals will know to add the area code.  If we have to change our area code it will probably mean being assigned new phone numbers and that will be much more complicated for businesses that have to change the phone number on stationary and invoices and business cards and…

Yes, I’m sure there are those who will freak out.  But in the end, everything will be fine.  As usual.

We owned a business.  All was well.

JH - 21 March 2010 12:14 PM

Welcome to the world of deregulation! 

Not really, we are just out of phone numbers.

jmkas - 21 March 2010 10:23 PM

JH - 21 March 2010 12:14 PM

Welcome to the world of deregulation! 

Not really, we are just out of phone numbers.

Yup, that’s the real reason.

Comprehension > JH

http://www.wgal.com/news/22788004/detail.html

“The 717 area code is expected to exhaust its supply of telephone numbers by the third quarter of 2012. New codes are needed when existing area codes exhaust their supply of something called “NXX” codes. Those are the second set of three digits in a 10-digit telephone number. For example, 717-NXX-5555.”

JH - 21 March 2010 12:14 PM

Welcome to the world of deregulation! 

Did you have a different option?  Maybe just keeping one area code in the area and denying everyone new phone numbers?

This is just another instance of PA being behind the times and freaking out when it needs to move forward. Many other states have had to split area codes once or more. And many other areas have to dial the area code for local calls. I am from and work in Md. I dial the area code for the majority of my calls anyway. It’s not a big deal. I remember when they split Md from all 301 to 301/240 & 410/443. You’d have thought the apocalypse was coming. Md is still thriving. Pa will survive too. No reason to make this into the next invasion from Mars.

Bobby102 - 22 March 2010 03:53 PM

JH - 21 March 2010 12:14 PM

Welcome to the world of deregulation! 

Did you have a different option?  Maybe just keeping one area code in the area and denying everyone new phone numbers?

This is just another instance of PA being behind the times and freaking out when it needs to move forward. Many other states have had to split area codes once or more. And many other areas have to dial the area code for local calls. I am from and work in Md. I dial the area code for the majority of my calls anyway. It’s not a big deal. I remember when they split Md from all 301 to 301/240 & 410/443. You’d have thought the apocalypse was coming. Md is still thriving. Pa will survive too. No reason to make this into the next invasion from Mars.

I’ve found on my cell that dialing the area code seems to be dependant on what network it’s connected to. If it’s on Sprint’s network I don’t have to dial the area code, if it’s on Verizon’s I do. Rather than trying to figure what I happen to be on at any given moment I just always dial the area code and it works, no big deal really, and honestly it should be that way anyway. But anything’s better than the party line my parents had when we were kids, lol.

I’m not sure why everyone is so upset.  Yes, it could be inconvenient, but we’ll all adjust.  However, the comment that “PA is behind the times and freaking out” is ridiculous.  I know some of you “from MD” may find this hard to believe, but PA has had to split area codes before.

Jason - 22 March 2010 05:57 PM

I’m not sure why everyone is so upset.  Yes, it could be inconvenient, but we’ll all adjust.  However, the comment that “PA is behind the times and freaking out” is ridiculous.  I know some of you “from MD” may find this hard to believe, but PA has had to split area codes before.

I’m not sure why you say everyone is so upset.  If you read the posts, people are saying it’s no big deal.

stephen - 22 March 2010 07:46 PM

Jason - 22 March 2010 05:57 PM

I’m not sure why everyone is so upset.  Yes, it could be inconvenient, but we’ll all adjust.  However, the comment that “PA is behind the times and freaking out” is ridiculous.  I know some of you “from MD” may find this hard to believe, but PA has had to split area codes before.

I’m not sure why you say everyone is so upset.  If you read the posts, people are saying it’s no big deal.

Not upset. Just saying we are running out of numbers, and as with all things like this it takes time and money to implement. 2012 will be sooner than you think. As long as I can still make a call and receive one, they can do what they want.

You are correct, most people are fine with it. My reference to people being upset was in reference to another post that said “Md is still thriving. Pa will survive too. No reason to make this into the next invasion from Mars.”

Since I have to dial 1 and the area code to call home from work, I don’t think its any big deal anyway.  As has been said before, people in Maryland have been doing this for years.

People across the US have been doing it for years.  It’s only a matter of time before everyone has to dial 10 numbers for every call.  And before long distance charges are obsolete.

Jason - 22 March 2010 09:36 PM

You are correct, most people are fine with it. My reference to people being upset was in reference to another post that said “Md is still thriving. Pa will survive too. No reason to make this into the next invasion from Mars.”

And my post was in reference to the original, trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.