Utilities board says problems with 5-6-3 area code are routine

More growing pains for Iowa’s expanding phone system. The Iowa Utilities Board says there have been problems with some calls into the new 5-6-3 area code in eastern Iowa. Customers began using the new code March 25th as part of a break-in period that lets them dial the old 3-1-9 area code too. Rob Hillesland is a spokesperson for the I-U-B. Most of the problems are with long distance calls coming in from out-of-state. Hillesland says out-of-state phone companies have been slow to change over their switches to recognize the new area code. Hillesland says the problems are to be expected. They are the same problems the state had when the new 6-4-1 area code went into use. He says that’s why they’ve lengthened the permissive dialing period — where both the old and new area code can be used while problems are worked out. He says the trouble eventually works itself out as phone companies catch up to the change. Hillesland says if you experience problems with receiving calls in the new 5-6-3 area code, you should call your long distance and local phone service providers and let them know.