The California Public Utilities Commission made a split decision ...

760, the PUC voted 4-1 to approve a split transferring to the new 442 code San Diego’s northern suburbs of Borrego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Julian, Oceanside, Pauma Valley, Pendleton, Ramona, San Marcos, Valley Center, Vista and Warner Springs. The rest of the area will retain the 760 code. Telecom carriers and the national numbering administrator urged an overlay as less costly and disruptive. But the PUC embraced the split because 75 percent of public comments favored a split, as did most local elected officials. And San Diego’s dense suburbs differ markedly from the rest of the area, where population centers dot vast stretches of desert. The split will force millions to change their phone numbers, dissenting Commissioner Timothy Simon said, generally endorsing overlays for code relief. The PUC left 760 with the code’s more rural northern part to retain a clear distinction between local and toll calls in that sprawling code, which will remain the state’s second largest area code in land area. The new code will debut on a permissive dialing basis in October, becoming mandatory in March 2009. For 818, the PUC adopted the new 747 code as an overlay, requiring 10-digit dialing for all local calls. The overlay will be implemented on a permissive dialing basis on October, going mandatory in March 2009. The PUC said oral and written comments indicated 60 percent of those affected favor an overlay and 15 percent have no preference. It called an overlay the option preferred by the industry. The PUC ordered the industry to conduct a 13-month customer education program but said if surveys show less than 70 percent of the affected population knows of the overlay and dialing change, the education campaign will run until the 70 percent goal is reached.