Astound must have an accurate street address for the location of each landline telephone. It is essential that the telephone’s address matches the physical location, so that in case of an emergency, 911 is able to direct emergency personnel (fire, police, and other emergency responders) to the correct location.

If you would like to make an address update request, please complete the 911 Address Update and Verification Form.

Astound Business Voice, like all Astound services, also requires that our facilities maintain power. To that end, all of our key facilities have automatic back-up generators, and we have our own back-up power supplies at most other levels throughout our systems, as well as contingency plans in place to minimize the likelihood of an outage. In the unlikely event that the Astound facility that supplies service to your business loses power, then your phone service will not work, even if you have power at your location. If you have an emergency alert system that uses your phone system, such as Life Alert, it will not work if your Business Voice service is not working. We encourage you to have backup power source available to maintain your phone service in the case of a power outage to your location— as well as alternative methods of communication, such as a cellular phone for emergency situations. Call us at 1-833-249-2786 if you have any questions.

Astound Business Voice service is delivered via packet technology, and unlike an internet phone service, we use our own fiber-optic connection and a dedicated private network to ensure the highest quality service. It relies on a telephony modem to work, and that modem requires power to operate. If you lose power in your location, your phone will not work unless you have a backup power source. While this rarely impacts our customers, we want to make sure you know how to stay prepared if this situation should ever arise.

Astound offers a battery back-up solution for in case of a power outage. For most modems, this battery costs $39.95 and provides eight hours talk time and twelve hours standby. To order a back-up battery, please call Astound at 1-833-249-2786. If you have your own back-up power supply, such as a generator, then you can use this power source to run your telephony modem during an outage. We also recommend having at least one telephone receiver in your location that does not require an external power source (does not plug into an electrical outlet).

An overlay is the addition of another area code (227) to the same geographic region as an existing area code region (240/301). The overlay does not require you to change your existing area code or phone number, or how you dial your calls. You will continue to dial the area code and phone number for all local calls, as you do today, within and between the 240, 301, and new 227 area codes.

Customers in the overlay region should:

• Continue to dial 10 digits for all local calls, including calls within the same area code.
• Continue to identify your telephone number as a 10-digit number, and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, customers, etc.
• Ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment recognize the new 227 area code as a valid area code and continue to store or program telephone numbers as 10-digit numbers. Some examples are: stored telephone numbers in contact lists in wireless phones, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, medical alert devices, safety alarm security systems and gates, or other similar equipment.
• Check items such as your website, personal and business stationery and printed checks, advertising materials, contact information, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included.

• Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• What is a local call now will remain a local call.
• You will continue to dial 10 digits for local calls within and between the overlay area codes, and 1+10 digits for long distance calls.
• You can still dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 if those are currently available in your community.

If you have any questions regarding information provided in this notice, please call Astound Broadband at 1.800.4.ASTOUND (1.800.427.8686) or visit astound.com for more information. You can also visit the Maryland Public Service Commission’s website at https://www.psc.state.md.us/telecommunications/

An overlay is the addition of another area code (835) to the same geographic region as an existing area code region (484/610). The overlay does not require you to change your existing area code or phone number, or how you dial your calls. You will continue to dial the area code and phone number for all local calls, as you do today, within the 484, 610, and new 835 area codes.

Beginning September 2, 2022, customers in the 484/610 area code overlay region may be assigned a number in the new 835 area code if they request new service or an additional line. Customers receiving an 835 area code will be required to dial the area code and phone number for all local calls – just as customers with telephone numbers from the 484 and 610 area codes do today.

Customers in the overlay region should:

• Continue to dial 10 digits for all local calls, including calls within the same area code.
• Continue to identify your telephone number as a 10-digit number, including the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, customers, etc.
• Ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment recognize the new 835 area code as a valid area code and continue to store or program telephone numbers as 10-digit numbers. Some examples are: stored telephone numbers in contact lists in wireless phones, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, medical alert devices, safety alarm security systems and gates, ankle monitors and or other similar equipment.
• Check items such as your website, personal and business stationery and printed checks, advertising materials, contact information, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included.
• For those interested in checking their devices to confirm that they will work with the new 835 area code, a test number is now available: 835-990-TEST (8378). A recorded announcement will indicate the test call has been successfully completed.

• Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• What is a local call now will remain a local call.
• You will continue to dial 10 digits for local calls within the overlay area codes, and 1+10 digits for long distance calls.
• You can still dial the three digits to reach 911, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 if those are currently available in your community.

If you have any questions regarding information provided in this notice, please call Astound Broadband Powered by RCN at 1-833-249-2786. You can also visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission website at www.puc.pa.gov/telecommunications.