Lokal Yokal wrote on Aug 25, 2008 4:24 PM:An overlay is the stupidest thing I ever heard about. This forces everyone to dial a long-distance-like 1-760-555-1212 just to reach the pizza place around the corner, and forces everyone to remember which area code goes to what business or friend's house.

Alf wrote on Aug 25, 2008 4:56 PM:This is progress, now let's see if the CPUC has ANY common sense and decides to use the LEAST COSTLY option, an overlay.
If not, I suggest that every minute, at $120 per hour, and every dollar that it costs homeowners and businesses be documented and the bill sent to the CPUC by registered mail (the registered mail fee to be included in the bill).
AND
Then fire the lot of them!
Regards, Alf.

greg wrote on Aug 25, 2008 5:38 PM:they should leave the old residences alone change the area code on all the new houses, i just got the 760 embedded in my head from the old 619,

Oceanside Chris wrote on Aug 25, 2008 8:16 PM:The overlay is the best solution! Congrats Scott on a job well done.

Dumb wrote on Aug 25, 2008 8:51 PM:Change Victorville and Palm Springs to 442. No offense but North San Diego County has more of an economic reason to keep the 760 area code.

Local no yokel wrote on Aug 25, 2008 9:47 PM:Hey, Lokal Yokal, two things: ever heard of speed dial? I have almost every number I call programmed into my cell phone, and I don't remember the last time I actually had to dial an actual full number. And second, there are also many numbers we already have to call in 858 and 619 area codes that require the full 10 digit number, and it hasn't killed us. Overlay may not be perfect, but it's better than having an entirely new number.

To Greg wrote on Aug 25, 2008 10:10 PM:Sorry Greg, but an overlay means that if you call your friend two houses down the street, you will STILL have to remember a new area code. Overlays have long-term financial costs on people, but are cheap for the phone company.

Cmon wrote on Aug 25, 2008 10:14 PM:Couldn't the reported add an address or email to send our comments to? Ridiculous! How can you expect greater participation if the media doesn't supply this info??? We pay for the paper to get information????? Huh????

No common Sense Alf wrote on Aug 25, 2008 10:16 PM:An overlay means EVERYONE is going to have to dial and remember multiple area codes for their neighbors, FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. But on the bright side, it will save AT&T money.

Doneitb wrote on Aug 25, 2008 10:26 PM:I lived in the Denver area 6 years ago when they did an overlay. Dialing 10 digits was so automatic that when I moved here I kept doing it for awhile.
Your cell phones should already be set for 10 digits in case you travel out of the area.
Do not change the area code- the ecomony is already bad, don't make it worse.

MJ wrote on Aug 25, 2008 11:40 PM:Here's an idea -- apply an overlay to ALL new cell phone, Vonage, efax etc numbers in the entire 760 area just like they do in LA. With the easy auto dial on cell phones, it would not be a bother.

Local wrote on Aug 26, 2008 4:27 AM:This is a small issue. I actually like 442. Call me a renegade.

--ver wrote on Aug 26, 2008 4:47 AM:I will keep my 760 even if I have to move to Hesperia.

See you in Carlsbad wrote on Aug 26, 2008 6:26 AM:It is critical to all of us to attend the Carlsad meeting of the PUC on September 4th, Thursday. We have to pack the meeting chambers and show the PUC that there are many, many businesses and homes that will suffer because of the change of ALL the phone numbers in North County to 442 area code. I wonder exactly what the population count and business count actually is in the inland part of the county where they didn't even think of changing their area code. Speak up. It may be inconvenient to be there, but tell everyone to attend. And a big thanks to Keep 760... Without their assistance, we would all be 442 already.

Vista Granny wrote on Aug 26, 2008 9:00 AM:I've lived through this before -- it was a mess, but would be worse now. Even the microchip imbedded in by dog would have to be fixedsome way. A new chip? Money - and pain for the dog. Also, it DOES cost money to dial out of your area. 619 and 858 are toll calls -- not a lot, but still it's money. We shouldn't have to give up our area code again.

common sense wrote on Aug 26, 2008 9:01 AM:Here's a thought. I have lived in North County for 15 years and this will be my 3rd area code in that amount of time. If they keep running out of numbers, that tells me one thing. Development is out of control. I realize cell phones are rampant now also, but a lot of this stems from over development of many north county areas.

Hey Yocal wrote on Aug 26, 2008 9:15 AM:I bet my grandmother said the same thing about prefixes. Or even having to remember a phone number at all. She was an operator that used to put the calls through when someone tried to call someone else. Keeping a 760 area code with an overlay is much better than changing the area code. Plus, once you do that, then you don't have to EVER change the area code again. Just overlay a new one. Makes sense to me.

Re-Printing Costs wrote on Aug 26, 2008 9:36 AM:I don't pay for any long distance calls as long as I'm calling inside the US. They're all built into both my land line and cell phone plans. However, I will have re-print all my business cards, letterhead, brochures, etc. Plus changing both print and online ads. Not to mention probably a few things I haven't thought of yet. Now that's going to be expensive.

Alf wrote on Aug 26, 2008 10:05 AM:Well, "No common Sense Alf" at 10:16PM and "To Greg" at 10:10PM on the 25th,
do you manually dial each and every one of your friends?
I don't think so.
With most portable phones having a personal "phone book" and every cell phone having a personal "phone book" it is easy for the residential customer.
Businesses, however, have forms, cards, ads, previous clients to notify and many other REAL DOLLAR COSTS. In other words, $$$$$$$$.
There are many times the businesses near the coast where they are threatening to change the area code than inland.
As "Vista Granny" pointed out, the microchips in pets would have a wrong area code if it changes.
An overlay costs THE CUSTOMER LESS MONEY AND TIME than any other option.
Regards, Alf.

Jeff wrote on Aug 26, 2008 11:06 AM:To Vista Granny: Different area code does not automatically equal toll call. Toll calls are - generally - determined by how far you're calling from your home. Whether we end up with an overlay or a split, the radius of free vs. toll calls around your home will not change. If we get an overlay and your neighbor has a 442 number next year, you're not going to pay any more to call them than you do today. Calling Palm Springs will remain a toll call regardless of what area code they have.

John E wrote on Aug 26, 2008 12:01 PM:"Dumb" above gets it. The obvious best solution is a geographic split in which north San Diego County retains 760 and the hinterlands change to 442. This would follow the PUC's own time-honored practice, under which PUC headquarters in downtown San Francisco still is in its original 415 area code. In past splits, the PUC has consistently awarded the existing area code to the urban core (that's us this time around, folks), because it is far more expensive for businesses to change than for private citizens. The current board conveniently ignores the facts, the needs of commerce, and their organization's own history.

Forget the overlay -- reverse the 760/442 split decision geographically and move on. Better still, go for a 3- or 4-way split now, so that we don't have yet another split 5 years down the roaed.

dmr wrote on Aug 26, 2008 2:58 PM:I think the best solution would be to get rid of area codes altogether. Give everyone a 10 digit phone number that they can keep for life. Do away with long distance and toll charges which almost no one has to pay anymore anyway due to all the calling plans.

rammer wrote on Aug 26, 2008 4:45 PM:The businesses of North County San Diego are extremely self centered and greedy. They would have everyone in the current 760 area code dial 10 digits to reach someone across the street in order to save money on new business cards. This is ridiculous. Making North San Diego county, and North San Diego county only, the new 442 area code - making it synonymous with the region - is the best solution for everyone, and would not force the poorer rural sections of the 760 area code to bear the brunt of the costs. Besides, my first car was a used Oldsmobile 442, and it was a pretty cool car.

chipped pet wrote on Aug 26, 2008 4:50 PM:Just letting Vista Granny know, there are no phone numbers in pet chips, just the chip number - they then get the info from an online database.

Get over it wrote on Aug 26, 2008 4:57 PM:change it all ready. Sounds like a bunch of little whinny kids. Not everyone will be pleased. Many will have low self esteem because of it but oh well. Survival of the fittest.

OK Get over it wrote on Aug 26, 2008 11:17 PM:It will cost me $21,344.14 to change every sign, card, form, database entry, advertisement (both print and video) and customer notification.
I want your real name and address so that I can bill you directly.
Don't whine, just pay the bill.
Cold cash, NOW, just like I have to pay for the above-mentioned goods and services.

VistaMike wrote on Aug 28, 2008 1:50 PM:They need to either do a overlay, allowing current 760'ers to keep their same number,or let US keep 760 and make the Palm Springs area take the 442!!

Alf wrote on Aug 28, 2008 5:21 PM:I'm with you, "VistaMike" at 1:50PM,
except that, in this situation, doing anything other than an overlay would still result in people having to change area codes later on down the line.
Downtown San Francisco has kept its 415.
Downtown Los Angeles has kept its 213.
Once it got split to 619, downtown San Diego has kept its 619.
Maybe it's time to change over to an eleven digit system now that we have computerized switching for phones.
Back when there was mechanical switching, changing the number of digits was a major overhaul of all equipment.
Now its a case of altering software.
Regards, Alf.

OK wrote on Aug 30, 2008 1:13 AM:"OK Get over it" is right. This stuff costs a lot of money. And I'm sick and tired of reprobates on this comment board like "Get over it" shouting down anyone who ever objects to anything. Now on to something positive. The Keep760 website and the intrepid reporting of Mr. Bradley J. Fikes are the reason this case is being reopened. Maybe the area code change is good and maybe it isn't, but this definitely shows the power of the people.

Oside Family wrote on Aug 30, 2008 9:08 AM:We agree with "Dumb" and "John E."-change the area code to 442 in the area that affects less people-the desert, Victorville, the hinder lands, etc.

Our business will be impacted like so many others. We just can't afford that. Really, what were these guys thinking when they made the change? Do they own printing companies or something???

Harv wrote on Sep 17, 2008 1:30 PM:The split is the best and like dumb and john e. said it should have been SD north county keeping the 760 and the rural areas getting 442. It's the way it has been done for the other splits, the most densly populated area keeps the original area code. What happened to the CPUC on that one?????? LOL

The overlay would be bad in that we would have to always dial "1+760" in front of all local 7 digit calls, that's 11 digits every time we call in our own city, that's a big hassle for no reason.