PHONE AREA CODES: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. RIGHT?

With the rapid spread of cellular telephones, pagers and fax machines has come an explosion of phone numbers dedicated to those purposes. In addition to the changes these technologies have worked on all our lives, demand for all the gadgetry is overwhelming the capacity of the telephone companies to handle all the traffic within existing area codes. Simply put, the phone companies are running out of numbers within each area code. The need for expanded capacity, defined as some new area codes across the country, is manifest. A new area code, 573, has already been established.

Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. has proposed to the Missouri Public Service Commission what is called an area code overlay. Bell is joined in its proposal by 15 of the 20 phone companies in the area. Under this proposal, your next-door neighbor could have a different area code than Eastern Missouri's long-established 314. With this overlay plan, customers would have to dial 10 numbers -- the area code plus the phone number -- even for local calls. The company proposes to assign the new code "to new customers and to existing customers who add telephone services to their homes or offices," said Martha Hogerty of the Office of Public Counsel, which represents utility customers in proceedings before the commission.

The public counsel opposes the plan in favor of what is called a geographic approach, which will involve less dialing. With the geographic plan, local callers would have to dial only the seven-digit regular number for local calls.

The commission is holding a series of public hearings to gather citizen input on the changes. One such hearing was held last Thursday night in Sikeston. Another will be held in Jefferson City at 7 p.m. on May 30.

The commission will likely choose from among three options:

-- The overlay, which would keep the same boundaries but overlay them with the new area code. Ten-digit local dialing would be a necessary feature of this option.

-- A geographic split of the 314 area with the St. Louis area retaining the 314 code and the outstate areas receiving the new 573 code.

-- A geographic split of the 314 code, but the St. Louis area receiving the new 573 code and outstate retaining 314.

In either of the two latter plans, customers would need dial only the seven-digit numbers for local calls.

In supporting its overlay proposal, Southwestern Bell says the arrival of 10-digit local calling is inevitable at some point, whether or not its overlay plan is chosen. While this may be true, it would still seem best to opt for one of the geographic choices at this time. It is to be hoped that the commission, which has stated its intention to rule on the matter by July 1, will consider the options carefully, listen to all testimony and choose the least disruptive alternative.

Big changes are coming ever faster in the telecommunications field. For the most part they are immeasurably enhancing our lives and enriching our opportunities in all fields. It is clear that with these advances will come some disruptions. The commission has a huge task before it. They must choose wisely for us all.

So far, the phone companies haven't given customers a good case for requiring them to dial more numbers for local calls or having to know area codes for all calls, even if you are only calling the bank down the street, the beauty shop across town or a neighbor next door.