KPCC News In Brief

San Fernando Valley residents gear up for new overlay area code

If you live in the San Fernando Valley, get your fingers ready to do a little extra dialing. KPCC’s Susan Valot says the Valley’s gearing up for its first overlay area code.

Susan Valot: Usually, 747s are the planes you see jetting out of Burbank Airport and over the Valley.

Now, 747 is landing in the San Fernando Valley as its newest area code. It’ll be laid over the current 818 area.

Phone company officials suggest people who live in the Valley get used to the new 11-digit dialing this weekend. Dial one, plus the area code, plus the phone number for all calls, even in the same area code.

This is the practice period. They’ll start handing out the new 747 numbers in May. Then, if you don’t dial 11 digits in the Valley, your call won’t go through.

San Fernando Valley is the latest Southern California region to get an overlay area code. Two years ago, the 310 region of the South Bay and L.A.’s Westside became the first in the state to get an overlay area code when it added the 424. Orange County added an overlay this year.

Phone companies say they need the new area codes because they’re running out of phone numbers.

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• October 10, 2008 1:36 PM