NEW YORK, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents and businesses within the existing 718, 347 and 917 area codes serving four boroughs of New York City should prepare for the introduction of the 929 area code.  

Verizon announced Tuesday (April 12) that beginning Saturday (April 16) its customers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island who request new service, add an additional line or, in some cases, move their service, may be assigned a number in the new 929 area code.  

To ensure a continuing supply of new telephone numbers for the New York City area, the New York Public Service Commission ordered 929 to be a new area code called an "overlay" serving the same geographic areas as the other area codes in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.  

Verizon has also ensured that its network recognizes and is able to seamlessly connect calls from customers of other telecommunications carriers who may issue numbers with the new 929 area code.

The most important facts that consumers and businesses need to know about the upcoming 929 area code overlay are:

• Their telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• They will continue to dial 1 plus the area code, plus the telephone number for all calls.  
• What is a local call now will remain a local call.  
• Calls between the 929, 718, 646, 917, 212 and 347 area codes are local calls.
• The price of a call, the coverage area or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• Consumers and businesses can still dial just three digits to reach 911.
• If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 are currently available in a particular community, consumers and businesses will still dial these codes with just three digits

Verizon subscribers should continue to identify their telephone number as a ten-digit number (area code plus seven-digit telephone number), and include the area code when giving the number to their friends, family, business associates and customers and others.

Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed with 1 plus 10-digit telephone numbers recognize the new 929 area code as a valid area code.  Some examples are life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, security gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call-forwarding settings, voice mail services and similar functions.  Business owners and others should check their business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks and personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in their telephone number.

For more information, visit http://www.askpsc.com/askpsc/telephone/, or call 1-800 Verizon (837-4966).

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE,NASDAQ: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 94.1 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 194,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon