716 Area Code
January 14, 2000
Contact: Peter K. Cutler (716) 851-5841

BUFFALO (1/14/00) - In October 1999, I wrote to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the Chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission to express my concern regarding any alteration to the 716 area code in Western New York and Buffalo.

Now, as in October, I maintain that any change to the 716 area code could cause economic difficulties and unnecessary inconveniences for city businesses. If measures are undertaken to better utilize the numbers presently available it will not be necessary to create a new area code.

I know that the PSC recognizes that a key factor in the area code proliferation has been the inefficient use of numbers, and has been petitioning the FCC for the authority to implement number conservation measures for some time.

I asked the PSC in October and I ask them again today to call upon the FCC to issue a moratorium on new area codes until the number conservation measures are put into place and there is an opportunity to evaluate their effectiveness. During that period there should also be an effort to overhaul the outdated numbering system and develop a new national policy for telephone numbering.