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July 15, 2002
HARMAN CONVENES 310 AREA CODE FORUM
TO HELP COORDINATE LOCAL EFFORTS
-- "Seniors and small businesses are seriously harmed when area
codes change" --
TORRANCE - Representative Harman held a town hall meeting today
with California Public Utilities President Loretta Lynch, local business
leaders and seniors to coordinate the South Bay's efforts to maintain
the 310 area code.
During the meeting Harman stated, "Seniors and small businesses
are seriously harmed when area codes change. When the doctor's phone number
is different, a senior can panic. And when businesses need to reprint
stationary and change advertising, profits suffer. Few issues arouse sharper
feelings than this one, and it is critical that we coordinate our efforts
at the federal and local level."
At the request of Harman, the
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
held a hearing on June 26th on area codes and the harmful impact splitting
them has on consumers and businesses alike. President Lynch appeared
before the committee as an expert witness.
During her testimony at this hearing, Lynch stated, "Over the next
three years, there will be 25 more area code splits in California unless
the federal government take steps to change the way the FCC assigns numbers.
There are two million unused telephone numbers in the 310 area code that
cannot be assigned because of current rules. By changing the threshold
for considering a block of numbers 'contaminated' we can reduce the number
of 'stranded' telephone numbers and make them available for assignment,
avoiding the need for new area codes. Telephone number portability is
also essential, and the FCC should not extend the November 2002 deadline."
Harman and Lynch said that the hearing provided an opportunity to persuade
the FCC and industry representatives about the urgency of solving the
area code exhaust problem.
Attending today's meeting were more than 100 small business owners, including
many from the South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce
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