411 on the 442

On October 24, the new 442 area-code overlay plan was implemented by the Public Utilities Commission. As a result, all local and long distance calls in the 760 area code will require the use of "1" plus the ten-digit number in order to place calls.

The new necessary procedure came about following a study that determined the 760 area was running out of available numbers. The options were to either split the 760 area code and issue certain North County residents and businesses a new 442 number (which would have cost an estimated $100 million) or to overlay the 442 area code.

Instead of splitting the 760 area-code region, the 442 area code will be used for all new numbers assigned. Current land-line and cell-phone users will retain their 760 numbers. Any three-digit numbers (911 and 411, for example) will remain the same as they are now.