The imminent exhaustion of available prefixes is attributable to a number of factors including an influx of new residential and business customers, expansion by existing business customers, a high rate of growth in cellular and paging services, and the introduction and use of new services, equipment, and features. The split should divide the northwest corner of the state, including Portland and Salem, and the remainder of the state, including all of the Eugene LATA, as well as that portion of the Portland LATA which lies primarily to the east and southeast of the Cascade Mountain range. Also included in the new area would be that portion of the Idaho LATA which extends into Oregon in the Ontario area. The northwest corner of the state should retain the existing 503 area code. The split method is projected to provide area code stability until approximately the year 2005 in the high activity metropolitan portion of the split and until approximately 2010 in the remainder of the state.
Feasibility is a particular concern.
An overlay has never been attempted on a statewide basis. The industry has expressed concerns about the technical and logistical feasibility and workability of the overlay method, particularly in view of the limited time left before the 503 area code reaches saturation. The cellular industry comments supported the overlay approach, arguing that 10-digit dialing would be less disruptive in the long term because it will eventually become the standard nationwide. Capital expenditures would be required under either option. Adoption of the overlay would result in statewide 10-digit dialing, a burden the Commission is reluctant to impose on the public.