Albany, NY, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, is reminding New York customers that with new telephone numbers in high demand, the New York Public Service Commission approved the implementation of the new 329 area code to overlay the existing 845 area code region.

The 845 area code serves all or parts of Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster counties, including a portion of Westchester County.

Starting on March 24, 2023, customers in the existing 845 area code overlay region may be assigned a number in the new 329 area code when they request new service or an additional line.  The 329 area code will co-exist everywhere in this region with the 845 area code.  Customers receiving a 329 area code will be required to dial the area code and phone number for all local calls, just as customers with telephone numbers from the 845 area code do today.

Telephone customers should know the following key facts about the 329 area code overlay:

• Telephone numbers, including the current area code, will not change.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• What is a local call now will remain a local call.
• Customers in the overlay region will continue to dial 10 digits for local calls within and between the overlay area code, and 1+10 digits for long distance calls.
• Customers can still dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, and 811 if those are currently available in your community.

Customers should continue to identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number (3-digit area code + 7-digit telephone number), and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates and customers, etc.

Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment recognize the new 329 area code as a valid area code and should continue to store or program telephone numbers as 10-digit numbers.  Some examples include but are not limited to: stored telephone numbers in contact lists in wireless or cordless phones, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, medical alert devices, safety alarm security systems and gates, ankle monitors, and other similar equipment. 

Customers should also ensure their websites, personal and business stationery and printed checks, advertising materials, contact information, and personal or pet ID tags include the area code.

For more information, please contact your local telephone service provider or visit the New York Public Service Commission website at https://www3.dps.ny.gov/W/PSCWeb.

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About FirstLight Fiber, Inc.

FirstLight, headquartered in Albany, New York, provides fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud, unified communications, and managed services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic connecting more than 13,000 locations in service with more than 125,000 locations serviceable by our more than 25,000-route mile network. FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength and dark fiber services as well as dedicated Internet access solutions, data center, cloud and voice services. FirstLight’s clientele includes national cellular providers and wireline carriers and many leading enterprises, spanning high tech manufacturing and research, hospitals and healthcare, banking and financial, secondary education, colleges and universities, and local and state governments.

 To learn more about FirstLight, visit www.firstlight.net, or follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.