NH Delegation: ‘603 represents a connection to the values of our state and a way to show local pride’

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), with Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to help prevent the depletion of New Hampshire’s iconic 603 area code.

“For individuals living in New Hampshire and for expat Granite Staters, 603 represents a connection to the values of our state and a way to show local pride. Many businesses have even trademarked 603 as part of their name,” wrote the Congressional Delegation.

Currently, a service area covering a small New Hampshire town might be assigned several thousand phone numbers with the 603 area code even if the area only needs a smaller set of numbers. If those numbers are not assigned to a user, they go unused even if other areas have run out of 603 numbers.

The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission filed a petition so that numbers could be distributed individually or in groups smaller than 1,000 in order to reduce the number of unused numbers. The Congressional Delegation is urging the FCC to grant this request.

“Because of the importance of 603 to New Hampshire’s economy and cultural identity, we strongly support NHPUC’s request for additional authorities to conserve 603 prefixes in order to make them available for more Granite Staters,” wrote the Congressional Delegation.