New "248" Area Code and MichNet Dial-in in Oakland County

[Mike Mosher]

	A N N O U N C E M E N T

This memo relays important news regarding MichNet Dial-in phone numbers to
users in, and around, the new telephone area code: "248".

This region encompasses a geographic region including the following
localities:  Pontiac, Clarkston, Holly, Birmingham, Southfield,
Farmington, Troy, Royal Oak, Rochester, Lake Orion, Northville, and other
towns in this region.  ...Basically it's Oakland County.

Ameritech has "carved" a new area code, 248, out of the 810 space for the
region above. Today, people dialing long distance or calling from other
area codes can dial either 810 or 248 and connect successfully to numbers
in this region. 

****** On September 13th, the use of 248 becomes mandatory, *******
****** 		and 810 will no longer work.		    *******

This change affects MichNet service in three modem hunt groups:

Pontiac		(248) 377-1586

Farmington	(248) 699-1130

Holly		(248) 634-1485

Merit is posting this announcement because we anticipate that some dial-in
users to these sites have their computer software configured to access
their local hunt group using the 810 area code.  In this case, their
dial-in process will break on September 13th.

We also anticipate that a number of users will need to add the new area
code to their dialer software when previously they only needed to dial
seven digits.  There are numerous permutations of this issue, affecting
users uniquely based on call origination and call destination.

The Nitty Gritty Details

In general, people who previously needed to include the 810 area code to
call MichNet numbers in Pontiac, Farmington, and Holly will need to switch
to using 248 instead.  

People whose phone numbers are staying in the 810 area code but who call
any of these three MichNet sites will need to add "1-248-"  before the
7-digit number. (Note, that if calls were previously local, they will
continue to be local even if the area code is dialed.) 

Finally, people whose phone numbers are changing to 248 but who call
MichNet numbers in the 810 area code (except the three mentioned) will now
need to add "1-810" before the the 7-digit number. (Again, if these calls
were previously local, they will continue to be local even though the area
code is now dialed.) 

**** Action Requested ****

Merit requests that organizations who support MichNet dial-in for their
users in this region takes steps to inform their clientele of this issue. 
Here is a set of suggestions for sites to begin to ensure a smooth
transition for your users. 

1. Email an announcement like this to all of your users.
	
2. Inform ALL helpdesk, computer center, and phone staff of this change. 

3. Put a notice on your web pages.  Feel free to point them to
	http://www.merit.edu/michnet/announcements/

4. Post signs around common computing areas.

5. Include an announcement in any organizational newsletters. 

6. Include an announcement in login welcome messages and MOTDs.

<><><><>

Comments and questions related to this announcement should go to your
Internet Consultant at Merit, or to me.

--{-~"~-} {-~"~-} {-~"~-} {-~"~-} {-~"~-} {-~"~-} {-~"~-} {-~"~-}--
Mike Mosher                                |      mmosher@merit.edu
Manager for MichNet User Services          |   http://www.merit.edu
Merit Network, Inc.                        |  phone: (313) 936-0287 
4251 Plymouth Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105-2785 |    fax: (313) 647-3185