FCC gave regulators in 4 states conditional approval to institute...

FCC gave regulators in 4 states conditional approval to institute 1,000-number pooling trials and rationing to ease telephone number shortages. Common Carrier Bureau said La. PSC, Md. PSC, Mass. Dept. of Telecom & Energy and N.J. Board of Public Utilities could implement such trials but, at first, N.J. could do so only in 201 (Jersey City) area. FCC gave N.J. authority to institute pooling in 732 (Freehold) and 973 (Newark) areas only after it implemented new area codes to relieve them. FCC said 732 and 973 didn’t have enough numbers to last even one year and, even with pooling, there wouldn’t be enough NXX codes to fulfill needs of some carriers. NXX is what traditionally is considered first 3 digits of local phone number -- in other words, 3 digits that come after area code.