HALLOWELL, Maine (WABI) - The Maine Public Utilities Commission is launching an investigation into a national wireless provider as the state prepares to run out of available 207 phone numbers in a few years.

The latest forecast says Maine will exhaust the 207 area code by the end of 2025.

Regulators are questioning T-Mobile’s role in that.

“This case is part of our ongoing effort to extend the life of Maine’s single 207 area code. Last year we opened a case to look into the numbering practices of Verizon Wireless and we are now doing the same with T-Mobile as they may also be using unrealistic forecasting goals, unnecessarily tying up available phone numbers.”

The investigation directs T-Mobile to provide the Commission with detailed information including an explanation of how the company forecasts growth in Maine, the utilization percentage of numbers used in the areas it serves, and an explanation of why the company is using a high number of special numbering categories that may unnecessarily increase the need for more numbers to be pulled from the 207 numbering pool.

All public documents related to the case will be available on the Commission website.

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