HELENA, Mont. (NMB) – Montana’s Public Service Commission says they are working to try and extend the life of the 406 area code.
In a press release, the Commission says the 406 area code is forecasted to be completely exhausted by late 2027.
However, the PSC is asking the Federal Communications Commission to give Montana a waiver from their rules that would otherwise go into effect during a three-year planning period when a state anticipates the need for a new code.
The PSC argues that the current allocation system of phone numbers by the North American Numbering Pool Administrator frequently leads to wasted numbers, especially in rural areas, because they block out 1000 phone numbers per rate center or geographic location.
The PSC wants the amount of numbers blocked out to be decreased based on the size of the community.
Montana remains just one of 11 states with only one area code.
Information from the PSC
