IURC News Release

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission 
302 West Washington Street, Room 306 
Indianapolis Indiana 46204 
317.232.2297 office
317.233.1982 fax
www.state.in.us/iurc

Contact: Mary Beth Fisher


For Immediate Release
July 10, 2001

July 11, 2001

AREA CODES SET FOR NORTHERN INDIANA

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission today assigned new area code numbers for two of the three regions in northern Indiana.

• The Area designated “A” includes such cities as: Gary, East Chicago, Michigan City, Valparaiso, and Rensselaer will have the area code 219.
• The Area designated “B” includes such cities as: South Bend, Elkhart, Winamac Logansport and Monticello will have the area code 574.
• The Area designated “C” includes such cities as: Lagrange, Fort Wayne, North Manchester, Silver Lake, Wabash, Warren and Portland will have the area code 260.

On June 14, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved a three-way geographic split relief plan for the area now served by the 219 area code. Due to the similarity in size of the regions the IURC held a
drawing at its regular conference meeting to determine which area would keep the 219 area code.

First index cards with the letters A, B and C were put in envelopes and drawn from a glass bowl to determine the order that the geographic areas would be assigned numbers. Then envelopes containing index
cards with the area codes on them were drawn. 

The implementation of the 219 relief plan begins with the introduction of the new area codes through a series of educational efforts by the telephone companies. It will be followed by a six month “permissive”
dialing period. During that time, customers can use either the old 219 or the new area code to place calls within the new area code.

Mandatory use of the new area codes will begin mid-summer 2002. Because the 219 area code was split three ways, it’s estimated there will not be another need for area code relief for 21-years. 

The numbers are administered by NeuStar, Inc., which was selected by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).

NANPA is a neutral, third-party administrator that works with the telecommunications industry to develop area code relief plans, and oversees the assignment of area codes, three-digit center office codes, carrier
identification codes and other numbering resources throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda and many Caribbean islands.