REGION RELEARNS NEW 573 AREA CODE

It is time think seriously about 573.

"We're about two months into the new area code for Eastern Missouri," said Thomas D. Pagano of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. "And everything is moving smoothly."

Southeast Missouri, including the Cape Girardeau area, is included in the new 573 area code. Callers have been using the new code, which covers all of the old 314 region minus a semicircle around St. Louis, since the first of the year.

The split becomes final July 8. Until then, callers using either 314 or 573 will get through.

"But we're glad to see so many people already using the new code," said Pogano. "Our customers in Eastern Missouri understand that the new area code was necessary."

Thousands of people already have had their cellular telephones reprogrammed for the new code,

"This is one of the things that should be done during the six-months educational period," said Pogano. "Cellular telephones, faxes and other devices must be reprogrammed."

"We've had great response," said Dan Hinkebein, customer consultant at Ameritech in Cape Girardeau. "But there are still a lot of cellular phones out there that need programming."

The reprogramming takes just a few minutes.

"People can stop in at any agency locations," said Hinkebein. "We'll have them in and out in five to 10 minutes."

Jill Smirl of Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems said: "It doesn't take long. Or, people can reprogram their own cellular phones."

People can call and Southwestern Bell will talk them through the process.

Many companies already have ordered new letterheads and business cards with the new area code.

Southwestern Bell has been providing informational inserts in more than a million telephone bills since October, informing consumers of the area-code change.

Retaining the 314 code is a St. Louis area bordered by Troy to the north, De Soto to the south and Washington and St. Clair to the west.

The 573 area runs from Hannibal south to the Bootheel and west to Lake Ozark. Other towns using the new area code include Jefferson City, Columbia, Hermann, Poplar Bluff and Rolla.

"Starting July 8, calls will not go through with the wrong area code," said Pagano. The caller will then receive a recorded voice stating that the wrong area code has been dialed and the caller must try again.

The phase-in period is aimed at helping people get used to dialing the new area code and at giving businesses time to adjust.

Pogano explained that the 314 area code was running out of numbers with the advent of fax machines, cellular hones, computer modems and pagers. "The split in area codes will replenish the supply and ensure a sufficient supply of numbers," he said.

Pagano emphasized that customer bills will be unaffected. "If it was a toll call before, it will be a toll call now," he said. "It will not impact rates for long-distance and it will not impact 911 services."

Southwestern Bell originally pushed for an overlay plan that would have retained the 314 code while giving new customers throughout the region a 573 number.

Consumers were opposed to that; in some cases, homes or businesses with a second line could have two area codes.

The Missouri Public Service Commission in July ordered the 573 area code be assigned.