NEWARK -- The number 856 has been assigned as the new southern New Jersey area code, created by a split of the current region served by the 609 area code.

Lockheed Martin, the national area code administrator, issued the code to Bell Atlantic after review of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ decision last month to create several million new local numbers by splitting the state’s 609 region. Residents and businesses on the eastern side of the split will retain the 609 code, while those on the western side will be given the new 856 area code.

This action will effectively double the supply of numbers available to satisfy growing consumer needs and demand for new telecommunications services.

(A list of exchanges in the new area code are included at the end of this release and a map of the area code split is available upon request.)

The area code split will be implemented by June 12, 1999. For a period of approximately 5 months, calls placed to telephone numbers in the new 856 area code will be completed whether or not the new code is dialed. Beginning Nov. 13, calls to the new area code will not be completed unless the new 856 code is dialed.

Further information on the implementation schedule will be available following a meeting of industry representatives later this month.

The new 856 area code will include all of Salem County, as well as major portions of Gloucester, Camden and Cumberland counties and smaller portions of Burlington and Atlantic counties.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world’s largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world’s largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries.

Local Exchange Codes To Be Included In New 856 Area Code

205		325		461		595		740		842
210		327		464		596		741		843
216		328		467		598		742		845
218		331		468		600		746		848
222		337		470		608		751		851
223		338		473		613		752		853
224		339		474		614		753		854
225		342		475		616		754		855
227		346		477		619		755		857
228		349		478		622		756		858
231		350		479		623		757		863
232		351		481		627		761		864
233		354		482		629		762		866
234		355		483		630		764		869
235		356		486		635		765		873
237		357		488		642		767		874
240		358		489		644		768		875
241		359		507		650		769		878
244		363		508		651		770		879
245		365		515		657		772		881
246		367		521		661		773		885
248		369		531		662		776		891
249		374		532		663		778		899
250		377		533		665		779		901
251		379		535		667		782		910
253		384		536		668		783		914
255		401		537		669		784		916
256		414		539		672		785		917
262		415		540		674		786		931
270		416		541		675		787		933
271		422		542		678		788		935
273		423		543		681		793		938
274		424		544		686		794		939
276		427		545		690		795		940
277		428		546		691		796		946
284		429		547		692		797		960
289		433		549		694		798		962
293		435		563		696		802		963
299		437		564		697		809		964
302		438		565		701		810		966
303		439		566		715		813		968
307		445		568		718		821		969
309		446		573		719		824		974
310		447		574		721		825		975
312		451		580		722		829		979
317		453		582		727		830		983
318		454		589		728		831		985
321		455		590		733		833		988
322		456		591		736		837		996
323		459		593		738		840