Companies Sue Over New Area Code

Two of the Western Washington companies that say they have lost business due to glitches in the transition to a new area code are suing US West over its failure to alert them to the potential problems.

But a telephone company spokesman says Denver-based US West - one of the seven regional “Baby Bell” telephone companies - had no way of knowing how extensive the problems would be.

It is unclear how many businesses have been affected, said spokesman Harry Grandstrom in Seattle.

The lawsuit, filed March 21 in Thurston County Superior Court, contends the Jan. 15 switch - which affected most of Western Washington outside the Seattle-Tacoma area - has seriously disrupted hundreds of Washington businesses.