Alarm companies and central stations with clients in parts of Southern California will need to make some adjustments to their customers’ control panels after the approval of an area code overlay for the 310 area code. Under the overlay, a new 424 area code will overlap the 310 area code and callers in the area will have to always dial a “1” and the area code before dialing out, even for local calls.
California’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved the new area code Aug. 24. The 424 overlay, the first of its kind in California, will go into effect next Aug. 26. A transition will begin in December where callers will be reminded they need to dial the 11-digit number before calling out.
Phone companies say the overlay is needed because numbers are running out for the 310 area code, which includes the localities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Security Sales & Integration‘s home base of Torrance, Calif. After next August, all new numbers in the 310 area will be assigned with a 424 number.
Alarm firms will need to make sure that their customers’ panels will be communicating correctly with the central station.
