MAINE'S SINGLE AREA CODE EXTENDED AN ADDITIONAL TWO AND A HALF YEARS

MAINE'S SINGLE AREA CODE EXTENDED AN ADDITIONAL TWO AND A HALF YEARS

North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) Predicts 207 Area Code to be Exhausted no Earlier than the Second Quarter of 2036

October 16, 2024

Hallowell, Maine -A semi-annual review of area code exhaust dates by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) shows Maine's single area code has gained another two and a half years before its predicted exhaust date. The previous estimated exhaust date was the fourth quarter of 2033.

"The Commission is very active in a number of conservation efforts, working with companies to ensure they get the telephone numbers they need, while asking other companies to return numbers they dont need," said Chair Philip L. Bartlett II. Our team has been working collaboratively with phone companies, the Federal Communications Commission, the North American Numbering Council (NANC), and NANPA on strategies to extend the entire numbering system, not just Maine.

The life of the overall area code system has been extended an additional 1-2 years. According to the FCC, NANC estimated that the total societal cost of expanding the universe of numbering resources in NANP would be as much as $270 billion and would require adding two additional digits to all telephone numbers nationwide.

The Commission has been monitoring the status of the 207 area code closely for several years as the number of service providers in Maine has been increasing significantly along with the volume of numbering requests. In January 2021, the predicted exhaust date was 2024. With this extension to 2036, weve added more than 12 additional years.

The Commission continues to work collaboratively with officials in other states to share best practices. New Hampshires 603 area code, which is also in danger of exhaustion, has seen its forecast extended by nearly two years from 2027 to 2029.

The next update from NANPA on area code exhaust dates will be April 2025. The NANPA number exhaustion and prediction reports can be found at https://nationalnanpa.com/reports/reports_npa.html.

Background

In 2023, the Maine Public Utilities Commission opened an investigation into Rate Center Consolidation (RCC) . This approach, recommended by a recent NANC report to the FCC , would combine 149 calling areas into one. The result would reduce demand for numbering resources and allow telephone providers to utilize more existing resources. The Commission is in the final stages of considering RCC.

The Commission has also worked closely with Maine lawmakers to enact measures that reduce the wasteful use of numbering resources while also combatting illegal robocalling.
Through the course of its work, the Commission has learned that some telephone number providers legally procure telephone numbers and then sell them to companies that bombard Maine people with scam calls. By working closely with NANPA, the FCC, and state lawmakers, we have worked to curb robocalling in Maine, but more work must be done.

About the Commission

The Maine Public Utilities Commission regulates electric, telephone, water and gas utilities to ensure that Maine citizens have access to safe and reliable utility service at rates that are just and reasonable for all ratepayers while also helping achieve reductions in state greenhouse gas emissions. Commission programs include Maine Enhanced 911 Service, gas safety and Dig Safe. Philip L. Bartlett, II serves as Chair, Patrick Scully and Carolyn Gilbert serve as Commissioners.

Learn more about the Commission at https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/.

CONTACT: Susan Faloon, Media Liaison CELL: 207-557-3704 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.