805 CODE IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME; CODE SPLIT, OVERLAY OPTIONS.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

The 805 area code's days may be numbered - it's expected to run out in 2004 - but some cities in Ventura County say they won't let it go without a fight.

For cities such as Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley, the rapidly dwindling area code is a hot commodity they will try to hold on to for the convenience to businesses and residents.

``Obviously we would want to see the 805 area code stay in Ventura County as long as possible,'' said Laura Magelnicki, Simi Valley assistant city manager. ``The city's position is to do what we can do to encourage the continuation of 805 in this area.''

A process is under way to select a relief plan for when the 805 area code dries up, and local jurisdictions are sending representatives to a North American Numbering Plan Administration meeting Wednesday to review three potential alternatives and plead their cases.

The 805 area code, one the largest in the state, serves almost all of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and small portions of Monterey, Fresno and Kings counties.

The area code was set up more than 40 years ago but the proliferation of cell phones, faxes and pagers is exhausting it, officials said.

Last year, most of Kern County and northern Los Angeles County were split from the 805 area code into the new 661.

``The 805 configuration is somewhat unusual because you have the ocean on one side so there were not that many options to come up with for splits,'' said Joseph R. Cocke, senior relief planner for the Western region of the North American Numbering Plan Administration, which is responsible for relief planning activities.

The NPA is considering three alternatives:

--Give a new area code to Ventura County and a small part of inland Santa Barbara County, and leave the rest of the 805 area as it is.

--Retain 805 for Ventura County and a small part of inland Santa Barbara County. Give a new area code to the balance of Santa Barbara County and the rest of the area.

--Give the entire 805 area an overlay of a new area code to be assigned to future lines. Callers would need to dial 1 plus 10 digits for local calls.

Thousand Oaks favors the current area code, but would settle for a new area code rather than overlays, which a staff report said ``have proven contentious in other areas.''

``We obviously would express the preference of keeping the 805 area code for Ventura County,'' said Thousand Oaks Planning Division Manager John Prescott.

``We have lot of major employers here that (a new area code would mean) a significant change with the relationship they have outside the state and outside the 805 area,'' he said. ``I am sure other cities will make the same type of argument.''

Ventura will not send a representative Wednesday, but will host a public hearing on the issue at its City Hall in March.

``When you change an area code it means all kinds of ripple effects for people with stationery,'' said Ventura City Councilman Carl Morehouse, who recently discussed the issue with the city's Chamber of Commerce.

The Ventura City Council is scheduled to take a position on an alternative at its Feb. 7 meeting.

Magelnicki said a change in area code would force businesses to undergo the expense of changing things such as letterhead and business cards.

The telecommunication industry will likely meet in May and try to reach a consensus and forward one or more plans to the Public Utilities Commission within two months of that for final approval, Cocke said.

The PUC may then take up to six months to reach a decision, he said.

If a new area code is chosen as the solution, it could be implemented in 2002, he said.

The PUC tries to pick a plan that has the least impact to customers, he said.

``Many times it's areas that have the highest number of people and highest number of numbers that keep the old area code,'' Cocke said.

But, he said he's also seen decisions made in favor of sparsely populated counties that would take a financial hit if a new area code were imposed.

``There is no real straight rule of thumb on this,'' he said.

AREA CODE MEETING

Public meeting on area code change at 1 p.m., March 8, Ventura City Council chambers, 501 Poli St., Ventura.

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