The Iowa Utilities Board holds four meetings this month to discuss proposedchanges for telephone service in the 5-1-5 area code. An increase in the useof phone lines for fax machines and the internet will soon use up all thephone numbers available in the 5-1-5 area code. Utilities board spokesmanScott Kinney says one proposal would implement what’s called an overlay thatwould everyone to keep their numbers and a new area code would be assignedto new numbers.Kinney says the overlay would require callers to dial all ten numbers forANY call they make in the area code. Kinney says the other proposal callsfor a split of the 5-1-5 area in half and give half a new code.He says a decision will come in the next few months. Kinney says themeetings will help explain each plan.The first meeting is Wednesday October 20 at Mason City High School. Theother meetings are as follows: October 21st at Fort Dodge, October 27th atOsceola and October 28th in Des Moines.
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