NANPA Planning Letter (PL) Number 410 - Nebraska - NPA 531 to Overlay NPA 402

On 6/30/09, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) approved an all services overlay of the new 531 NPA as the relief method for the 402 NPA. Both the existing 402 and new 531 NPAs will serve the eastern portion of Nebraska - including Bellevue, Columbus, Fremont, Hastings, Lincoln, Norfolk, Omaha, and Valentine. The PSC has also outlined an implementation scheduled for open-ended permissive 10-digit local dialing for the 308 NPA "to be placed in service coincident with the start of permissive dialing in the 402 NPA."

The implementation schedule outlined below was adopted on 9/15/09, with the Commission reserving the "ability to extend the permissive dialing period where it finds such extension is warranted and in the public interest." On 8/31/10, the Commission issued a letter advising that 531 NPA central office codes will not be available for NANPA assignment "until the level of remaining 402 NPA codes reaches ten".

531 Overlay Implementation:

• 6/26/10 – Start of permissive 10-digit dialing.
• 2/26/11 – End of permissive dialing and start of mandatory 10-digit dialing.
• 3/26/11 – Earliest new NPA central office code activation date.*
• TBD** - Earliest date central office codes in the new NPA may be ordered through NANPA.

* Effective Date of the New 531 NPA
** Ten 402 Central Office Codes Remain

While callers may use seven-digit or 10-digit dialing during the permissive period, the latter is encouraged in preparation for implementation of mandatory 10-digit dialing. Also to prepare for the end of the permissive dialing, carriers should ensure their switches are ready to begin sending 10 digits prior to the mandatory dialing conversion date.

Please see PL-397 for complete details on the implementation of the 531 NPA. To access PL-397 and other information, visit http://www.nanpa.com/.