Categories: Business, News, Schenectady County

Public hearings will be held in the next two weeks for comment on a potential new area code in the Capital Region.

The state Public Service Commission will hold hearings in Colonie, Gloversville and Glens Falls regarding options for area code relief in the 518 area code region.

New area codes in a specific geographic area are provided through an overlay or geographic split of the existing area code in areas where phone numbers are anticipated to run out, the commission said in a news release on Thursday.





The public hearings would discuss two possible options:

• An overlay option would have the new area code used throughout the entire region for new telecommunication services. Existing phone numbers would generally not be affected.

• A geographic split option would cut the region in two sections. One section would have current and new customers continue to use the 518 area code. The other section would have all customers — including existing customers — use the new area code.

The first hearing will be held in Glens Falls on Tuesday at the Crandall Library’s Christine L. McDonald Community Room at 251 Glen St. The information session will be at 5 p.m. and the public statement hearing at 6 p.m.

The second hearing will be held in Latham on Thursday at Colonie Town Hall at 534 New Louden Rd. The information session will be at noon and the public statement hearing at 1 p.m.

Another hearing will be held in Gloversville at Gloversville City Hall’s Council Chambers at 3 Frontage Rd. The information session will be at 6 p.m. and the public statement hearing at 7 p.m.

The other three hearings are in Valatie, Columbia County; Plattsburgh, Clinton County; and Lake Placid, Essex County.

The information sessions will have staff present the options for an overlay or geographic split of the new area code. Staff would also be available to answer questions.

The public statement hearings following the information sessions would be a minimum of an hour and will be kept open until everyone provides comment.

If people cannot attend the hearings, public comments could be made online at dps.ny.gov (include case number 16-C-0297) or by email at [email protected]

Comments could also be mailed to Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350.

Comments will also be taken by calling the commission’s opinion line at 1-800-335-2120.

Comments not submitted at the public hearings must be done by Aug. 19.

A decision on the new area code option would be provided on the commission’s website at dps.ny.gov (entering case number 16-C-0297) when issued.

Reach Gazette reporter Haley Viccaro at 395-3114, [email protected] or @HRViccaro on Twitter.