October 27, 2022

Hallowell, Maine -Ongoing efforts to preserve Maine's 207 area code have resulted in an extension of about 15 months from the previous exhaustion date prediction of the fourth quarter of 2025.

"These additional months are the direct result of multiple actions taken by dedicated Commission staff who have been persistent in efforts to preserve Maines single area code, which includes scrutinizing unnecessary requests for numbering resources," said Chair Philip L. Bartlett II.

Additional efforts to preserve the area code include:

-Facilitating the donation of number resources by one provider to another, limiting the number of new blocks of 10,000 codes that are opened;

-Working with service providers to return blocks of unused numbers in 1,000 number increments through docket # 2020-00192;

-Participating in a Numbering Administration Oversight Working Group (NAPWG) appointed by the FCC to assist the North American Numbering Council with its oversight of the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA);

-Commission initiated investigations into numbering practices of T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

Commission staff will continue to pursue options for further extending Maines single area code which could not only significantly extend the life but also serve as a model for other states facing similar area code exhaustion circumstances.

Background

In 2021, the Commission petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to direct the NANPA to report on the technical, operational, and cost requirements to implement number optimization measures in the 207 area code. The FCC requested that an FCC working group on numbering report back by August 2022 regarding the feasibility of implementing new number conservation measures such as individual telephone numbering pooling proposed by Maine and other states. To date, Commission efforts have resulted in the return of about 677,000 numbers to the numbering pool from unused or slightly used blocks.

The NANPA number exhaustion and prediction reports can be found at https://nationalnanpa.com/reports/reports_npa.html.

About the Commission

The Maine Public Utilities Commission regulates electric, telephone, water and gas utilities to ensure that Maine citizens have access to safe and reliable utility service at rates that are just and reasonable for all ratepayers while also helping achieve reductions in state greenhouse gas emissions. Commission programs include Maine Enhanced 911 Service, gas safety and Dig Safe. Philip L. Bartlett, II serves as Chair, Randall Davis and Patrick Scully serve as Commissioners.

CONTACT: Susan Faloon, Media Liaison CELL: 207-557-3704 EMAIL: susan.faloon@maine.gov WEBSITE: https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/