By Khalida Sarwari and Melissa McRobbie
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday recommended implementing a new area code via an overlay method, in which residents signing up for new service would be assigned a 669 area code but existing phone numbers would stay the same.
The board voted 4-1 in favor of the overlay option, with Supervisor Liz Kniss dissenting. Tuesday’s vote came after the California Public Utilities Commission invited the Board of Supervisors to weigh in on which option it would prefer.
Santa Clara County Chief Operating Officer Gary Graves said the overlay is the method preferred by most affected parties over the other option, a geographic split.
The overlay option would not require any businesses or individuals in the county to change their existing number from the 408 area code.
A new area code is needed because of a diminishing supply of available numbers beginning with 408.
Supervisor Ken Yeager said the overlay method is the better of two bad options.
“The problem is, neither choice is good and it’s going to cause disruption whichever way we go,” Yeager said.
The CPUC has not yet taken action to implement either approach. Residents can submit their preferences online at http://cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/Telco/generalInfo/Area+Codes/408+Area+Code.html.