ready or not, here it comes

at first glance, this doesn't appear to have anything to do with yoga.

but it does have something to do with yoga in los angeles. specifically, the west side of los angeles.

starting wednesday, july 26th, if you live and/or work in the 310 area code and have the phone numbers of your favorite westside yoga studios on speed dial, you'd better make sure that you also have their "1-310" area code included with those saved numbers. otherwise, instead of getting a studio information line, you're going to get a message telling you that unless you learn to dial all 1+10 digits, you're going to keep getting the same annoying message from the phone company.

and while you're at it, you might as well check all the other 310 numbers that are programmed into your cell phone, your home phone, your work phone, your fax machine, your security system... you get the idea.

this is all in preparation for the upcoming overlay of the new 424 area code, which takes effect on august 26th. and as if to taunt all of us affected phone customers, the digits 4-2-4 spell:

h-a-h!

makes you wonder if it's a conspiracy launched by the non-310ers who are are jealous of the fact that our temperatures by the beach have yet to exceed 100 degrees...


here's the official memo from att.com:

Important Information about California Area Code 310

On August 25, 2005 the California Public Utilities Commission approved a request by a group of telecommunications carriers to replace the current back-up plan to split the 310 area code with an area code overlay, when the 310 area code ran out of numbers to assign to telecommunication companies. To accommodate the growing need for telephone numbers, the 424 area code will be added to the area served by 310.

Who will be affected?

The new 424 area code will serve customers in the same geographic region as the current 310 area code, which includes the Westside and South Bay area of Los Angeles County and a small portion of Ventura County. This is known as an area code overlay.

What is an area code overlay?

An overlay is the addition of another area code (424) to the same geographic region as an existing area code (310). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code.

What will be the new dialing procedure?

To complete calls from a landline phone, the new dialing procedure requires callers to dial 1 + area code + telephone number. This means that all calls in the 310 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using 1+ area code + telephone number.

To complete calls from a cellular or mobile phone, callers may dial the area code + telephone number or 1 + area code and telephone number whenever placing a call from a phone number with the 310 or 424 area code.

When will the change begin?

Beginning July 26, 2006, you must use the new dialing procedure for all calls. After this date, if you do not use the new dialing procedure, your call will not be completed, and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again.

Beginning August 26, 2006, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers with the 424 area code.