Plans to split central Iowa’s 515 area code into two separate codes due to increasing demand for phone numbers in the state have brought the praise of both Iowa State’s director of communications and ISU students.

The Iowa Utilities Board had several different alternatives to choose from when it came to deciding exactly how to enact the new code. The two top choices were either to split the area geographically or to just assign the new area code to all new numbers obtained after June, which is when the split will begin.

The new area code will be shaped like an irregular “J” and will consist of the eastern part and far southern part of the current 515 area code. Cities that will change to the new area code include Mason City, Charles City, Marshalltown, Newton and Lamoni.

John Kingland, ISU director of communications, said the geographic split is beneficial to the university.

“The outcome was great for ISU because it doesn’t have an effect,” Kingland said.

Kingland said one of Iowa State’s worries about an overlay plan was that the university’s new phone numbers could have different area codes, making dialing more difficult on campus.

Another common argument against splitting the current 515 area code was that any solution would be temporary, Kingland said. The IUB projected that with the geographic split, the 515 area code would be viable for 8.6 years, while the new area code, whose digits have not yet been decided, would be viable for 8.8 years.

“Eventually, we’ll have to dial 10 digits, but this postpones that,” Kingland said.

Students from the area that will be affected said they were not concerned about the change.

Matt Hartwig, junior in journalism and mass communication from Thornton, said the new area code would not bother him.

“The area code split will not have a negative impact,” Hartwig said. “It will be more of a nuisance at first, but in time people will adjust.”

However, Jay Jung, freshman in agricultural education from Floyd, said he wished the board would have considered other options.

“I’d rather have them keep it the way it was and just add numbers as we need them,” Jung said.