Sorry, No Numbers: 818ers Wonder WTF is Up With the 747 Overlay Code

Back in April of 2008 we remarked that the announcement of a new overlay area code--a code within an existing code area for use with new numbers when all previous numbers have been assigned--was "not a big deal." Okay, fine, so soon people in the 818 might have to accept a 747 area code, and everyone within the area would have to dial each other using all 10 digits.

A year later and the 747 was launched. Well--in theory at least. A month later, 747 numbers were up for grabs. Only, uh, there's been no takers. None. Nada. Numerically speaking: A big fat 0. Explains the Daily News:

Spokesmen for several telephone service providers, as well as the California Public Utilities Commission and the North American Numbering Plan Administration, could not identify any 747 numbers assigned to residential or business customers.

And when the Daily News called directory assistance and asked for a search for 747 numbers, an AT&T customer-service supervisor said her computer turned up none.

Some providers, like Verizon, have about 2,000 747 numbers they are ready to assign "within a month or so." So this overlay, which began as an idea a decade ago, was announced over a year ago, and has been in effect for almost 6 months left the Daily News to wonder: "Is this a case where authorities can be accused of being over-prepared?" Too bad we don't have much surplus funds in the state coffers as we do 747 phone numbers.