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- Illinois Bell Operations Letter
- Planning & Engineering CS&E 7.1
-
-
- October 28, 1988
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-
- 312 Split / New 708 Area Code
-
- (Operations Forces)
-
-
-
- 1. This letter is issued to provide information about the area
- code 312 split that will occur November 11, 1988.
-
- 2. All prefixes in the City of Chicago will keep the 312 area
- code. All prefixes outside the physical boundaries of the city
- will become area code 708. Customers will keep their same seven
- digit telephone number.
-
- 3. This split is necessary because customers in this fast growing
- area need more telephone numbers than are now available. The
- split will be revenue neutral. Subscribers will not pay more to
- make a call that requires eleven digits (1 + Area code + 7 Digits)
- than they pay for the seven digits presently dialed. Although the
- split is revenue neutral to the subscriber, it will cost Illinois
- Bell several million dollars in operating expense.
-
- 4. A main 312 Split Committee supported by eight subcommittees
- is charged with the task of implementing the split. The split
- will be accomplished with the least customer dissatisfaction
- possible, without spending more expense money than needed.
-
- 5. The Split Committee and subcommittee are identifying the
- various data bases and processes affected by the split in some way.
-
- 6. Due to Alarm Company and Carrier concerns, a "permissive"
- period will begin on June 1, 1989 in some offices. The permissive
- peroid will allow either 7 or 11 digit dialing in both area code
- 312 and 708. This will allow testing by carriers and equipment
- changes by the Alarm Companies. A schedule is being assembled
- that will contain the date each office will convert to permissive
- dialing. All offices in the present 312 area will have permissive
- dialing before November 11, 1989.
-
- 7. After the split date we will continue the permissive dialing peroid
- for 90 days, until February 9, 1990. The permissive periods are
- not announced to the general public. At the end of the permissive
- period a mis-dialed call will go to a special annoucement for
- each area. The permissive dialing will be in local offices only
- and may not be provided outisde the present 312 area.
-
- 8. Some codes such as 555, 591, and 976 will remain as seven digit
- codes in both areas. Mobile cellular prefixes will be a seven
- digit code in one area only and may not always be the same area
- where the carriers switching machine is located.
-
- 9. Three digit codes such as 411, 611, and 911 will all remain as
- theee digit codes in each area. A call to 411 in either area will
- provide information for both 312 and 708 areas.
-
- 10. The method of achieving permissive dialing will be different
- in each type of switch. TCN's and detailed instructions will be
- issued to cover the various types of switches. Many hours of
- translations and testing are required to attain the permissive
- dialing. A computer based program has been developed to make
- tests to the call-through test numbers.
-
- 11. Potential problems that may have been identified include remote
- call forwarding, flexible route and automatic route lists. In
- most cases Marketing will issue an order to make the required
- change.
-
- 12. Speed call lists, automatic dialers, computer modems and lines
- that are call forwarded can also become a problem. This is
- because subscribers may forget to make the needed area code
- changes. The only known fix for this problem is extensive
- customer education.
-
- 13. Illinois Bell has begun to advertise the date and other
- information about the split to our subscribers through the media.
- Bill inserts are being used to alert people about what to expect
- when the split occurs. Directories distributed late this year
- will copntain references to and information about the 312 split.
-
- 14. Closer to the actual split date, the publicity will be
- intensified. This will be to alert as many people as possible
- about the split and its impact. About three.weeks before the
- split, all employees will be encouraged to use the new 312 or 708
- area code whenever appropriate. This will provide as an in service
- test if any problems encountered are reported.
-
- 15. This letter is intended to be shared with all employees of the
- Operations department. Except information concerning permissive
- dialing, the contents of this letter may be shared with non-
- employees such as family, friends, and associates.
-
- 16. This letter will be cancelled March, 1990.
-
- 17. The oprginator of this letter is xxxxx xxxxxx, (312) 727-xxxx.
-
-
- [Editor's note: Name and number of orignator omitted for lack of relevance.
- All else is verbatim from intra-company memorandum]
-
-