New area code for state delayed

People in Western Washington, including South Sound, won't have to use a new area code or dial 10 digits to reach others in the 360 area code until at least 2012.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission announced Friday that Washington telecommunication companies have at least four more years to assign new area codes to some customers in the 360 area code.

The FCC earlier had estimated that such a change might be needed by 2010.

The utilities commission says it has worked with telecommunications companies to identify and set aside unused phone numbers in the 360 area.

That means that the existing stock of 360 phone numbers — once expected to run out in 2010 — will last until at least 2012, the commission says.

In the past, new area codes have been assigned to specific geographic areas. After all the 360 phone numbers are used, a new area code could be "overlaid" across all of Western Washington and assigned to all new phone numbers in Western Washington, according to the utilities commission.

Customers then would be required to dial 10 digits for all calls, including local ones.

Elsewhere in Washington, the commission expects phone numbers in the 206 area code to last until 2020, and those in the 253 and 425 areas to last until 2028 and 2030, respectively.

The state's third area code, 360, went into effect Jan. 15, 1995.