Spacey Ideas

A Chronology Of Events Surrounding The
Establishment Of Area Code 321.
by Robert Osband
Originator of Area Code 321
Ozzie@SpaceyIdeas.Com

1998 September

I learned that the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) would have a second round of Hearings on "407 Area Code Relief", and decided I would take time off from work this time, and attend. I did some research on the Internet, and prepared My Testimony to present before the PSC.

1998 September 24

Presented My Testimony to the PSC at a Public Hearing at Orlando City Hall.

1998 September 25

Attended a second hearing at the Brevard County Commission Hearing Room in Viera FL (a development in Melbourne), where I suggested that 10 digit dialing should be allowed, even in local areas. This would allow Alarm Companies to always program 10 digits into their alarm diallers, so that only half of their equipment (statistically) would be impacted by any future area code changes.

1998 December 29

PSC issues Order No. PSC-98-1761-FOF-TL. From the order:

Customer concerns also are extremely important to our decision. In his testimony, public witness Robert Osband suggested that we implement a split using a new area code. He had searched the database of the NANPA for all the available area codes, and he recommended that we implement the "321" area code to signify the countdown, fitting for Brevard County, where the Kennedy Space Center is located and commonly known as "the Space Coast."

1999 February 10

The Florida PSC issues its Press Release on the Order that created the 321 Area Code.

1999 April 01: 10-digit dialing permissive period begins - Overlay Area.

The permissive period begins, allowing 10-digit dialing in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties so that alarm diallers and automatic modems can start being programmed for 10 digit dialing. All local calls that can be placed within the Overlay Area, can now be placed using 10-digit dialing.

1999 April 03

Published an issue of Via Oz, a "fanzine" explaining the development of Area code 321 up to this point.

The Area Code 321 I originated appears on Jeopardy

1999 April 26 Met Governor Jeb Bush before the National Space Club dinner in Cocoa Beach. He called the 321 Area Code "a brilliant idea". 1999 July 08 In the catagory USA, The Final Jeopardy Answer on the popular TV quiz program was, "In 1999, several counties around Cape Canaveral, Florida were assigned this new telephone area code." The Final Jeopardy Question, of course, was, "What is 321?".

Ozzie (right) explains to Governor Jeb Bush (left) how he came to discover the availablility of Area Code 321.

1999 September 07

Florida Today published an article today about "Area Code 321 confusion" which was caused (In My Humble Opinion) by Bellsouth's "informational ad campaign" which concentrated on the "Overlay Area" of Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, and were also published in Brevard county newspapers - without information on Brevard's future with the 321 Area Code.

Governor Jeb Bush teleconferences the First Official Phone Call into Area Code 321 at the Kennedy Space Center. Ozzie is the bearded fellow in the first row"

1999 November 01: Permissive Dialing Period begins - Non-Overlay Area.

Area Code 321 will completely replace Area Code 407 in Brevard County only, allowing those residents to maintain 7-digit dialing. In the remaining 407 Area, the 321 Area Code will be an Overlay where residents will be required to have 10-digit dialing for all calls - local or long distance. Callers to Bravard County may use either 407 or 321 to reach their party during the Permissive Period. It is at this time that the public is informed to use the new Area code. Brevard County residents will need new stationery and business cards to reflect their new Area Code - but have 11 months to make the transition.

1999 November 01

Governor Bush placed the First Official Phone Call from the Public Service Commission Hearing Room in Tallahassee to the Teleconferencing Room at Kennedy Space Center where Center Deputy Director James Jennings took the first call with Osband at his right hand. The room was filled with Space Center Senior Staff and Contractors. Photos of the event are available for viewing (most are "screen shots" taken from videos of the event).

1999 November 23

The New York Times[nytimes991123.html - MISSING] covers "3-2-1, Call Cape Canaveral".

InsideCentralFlorida.Com put up a web page explaining 10 digit dialling, and links to this page.

1999 December 01: Manditory 10 Digit Dialing Begins - Overlay Area only.

Area Code 321 will begin issuing numbers to users in the Overlay Area of Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. This means that people in the Overlay Area must use 10-digit dialing, since the number they are trying to reach might be assigned in either area code, or both. Residents of the Overlay Area will keep their old telephone number, and will not need to change their stationery and business cards. Only newly issued telephone numbers will get numbers in the 321 Area code.

2000 October 01: Manditory use of 321 Area Code begins - Non-Overlay Area.

Permissive Dialing ends. ALL callers MUST use the proper area code when calling into Brevard County. Since Brevard County still has only one area code, residents maintain 7 digit dialing for local calls.

An area code to reflect the
Countdown Capitol of the World?
"What a Spacey Idea!"™

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