Glenn writes:

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I think our state commerce office might be interested too since they are =
the ones that have overseen the split of the 316 area code.  According =
to all of the press releases around here, the state decided that the =
split needed to be done, that an overlay wasn't in the best interests of =
Kansas residents, when the split would occur, and finally what the new =
area code would be.  It is either a case of wanton disinformation being =
fed to the press (and subsequently to the people) or the actual process =
varies state by state...

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I don't believe that it is misinformation. State commerce commissions do seem
to have a lot to do with the assignment of area codes, although I am
completely unsure as to what role they do play.

New Mexico is one of those fortunate places that still operates under just
one area code for the entire state, its original 505 number. But, sooner or
later, we're obviously going to get a second one.

In general, when they do this sort of thing, the largest city retains the
original code. New Mexico only has 1.5 million people -- and 80% of them live
in the Albuquerque region. Quite obviously, we're in for a change, and
because of this, I've called our state commerce commission a couple of times
(but so far with no resolution) to suggest the new area code (no task is too
small for a true busybody :-).

Recently, the Orlando-Cape Kennedy area took on a new overlay area code, 321,
as in "3-2-1", a number totally appropriate to the area. They had to fight to
get that number. It had been promised to some other area.

I thought that that was so cool (a true, vanity area code) that I've been
trying to get our state commission to request 238, as in "Uranium 238", for
our second area code. This new area code would include the cities of Los
Alamos, Las Cruces, Roswell, and Alamogordo. What three digit number could be
more appropriate to those cities?

Wirt Atmar