DC Gets 771 Area Code Overlay for 202
Washington, D.C.’s new additional area code is 771. It will overlay the entire 202 code, the D.C. Public Service Commission said Tuesday (see 2009220002). The PSC confirmed a 13-month implementation schedule, including six months for network preparation, six months of…
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customer education and one month -- after a permissive dialing period ends -- when 10-digit dialing becomes mandatory. The agency established a working group to educate consumers and asked that interested participants request to join by Oct. 16. “The 202 area code has been part of D.C. culture for over 50 years and it is not going away,” said Chairman Willie Phillips. “However, we stand ready to assist in a smooth transition to the added 771 area code.” Commissioners voted 2-0 last week to approve the request by the North American Numbering Plan administrator for the overlay and required 10-digit dialing (see 2009160080). "After the working group convenes, the implementation schedule with dates will be finalized and posted for the public," a PSC spokesperson emailed. "This will include the start date as well as when 771 will become available." The overlay may be one of the most significant in years for major metropolitan areas and could lead to a secondary market for 202 numbers, we reported last week. NANPA projected that without relief, numbers in the current D.C. area code would run out in Q3 2022.