New Hampshire

NH lawmakers hope to save the 603: Area code nears its limit

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2024

NH lawmakers hope to save the 603: Area code nears its limit

CONCORD — By the end of 2027, New Hampshire’s iconic 603 area code may reach its limit.

There are only so many seven-number combinations that can be put after the number 603, the state’s phone area code. In 2023, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator warned it hit the maximum as soon as 2027. That could mean New Hampshire will have to add a second area code in the near future.

To delay it, state lawmakers have introduced the aptly titled Senate Bill 603, which directs the New Hampshire Department of Energy and the Public Utilities Commission to do all it legally can to adopt telephone conservation measures and maximize the number of available numbers.

“We lost the Old Man of the Mountain nearly 21 years ago. Our first-in-the-nation primary is under attack, even Daniel Webster went to Massachusetts to run for Senate. But we still have three numbers that are unique to the Granite State: 603,” said Grant Bosley, the deputy chief of staff for the New Hampshire Senate, at a public hearing in front of the House Science, Technology, and Energy Committee in April. He introduced the bill on behalf of the prime sponsor, Senate President Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro.

“603 is more than an area code. It’s an identity. We have songs and bumper stickers, and political slogans, and craft beers and T-shirts,” said Bosley. “603 is New Hampshire, and New Hampshire is 603.”

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How could New Hampshire extend life of 603?

Some ways to preserve the code are reclaiming numbers that are no longer in use and requiring providers to return assigned blocks of numbers not being used. The bill comes with a one-time cost of $100,000 to $300,000 to hire a consultant to identify the measures New Hampshire could take.

Bradley introduced the bill in part at the request of New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who issued an executive order last year that established the “Don’t Overload the Code” initiative. To extend the life of the code, it directed the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Economic Affairs to reclaim unused telephone numbers.

The state is following the example of Maine, which also acted to preserve its code when told 207 would hit its limit by 2025. By limiting robocalls and changing forecasting and block requesting practices, the state was able to extend the life of the code until 2032, according to reporting by WMTW.

New Hampshire and Maine are two of just 11 states left with a single area code. However, according to Maine’s Public Utilities Commission, the whole country may run out of area codes by 2051.

Therefore, the efforts in New Hampshire won’t prevent the need for a second area code someday, but it would move the date down the line, said Bosley. The New Hampshire Department of Energy testified it’s optimistic it can extend the 603, perhaps even until the federal government determines how to number across the country when they run out.

But that inevitability is part of the reason Rep. Thomas Cormen, D-Lebanon, wrote the bill should be voted inexpedient to legislate in the committee’s minority report.

“Whether or not we attempt to extend the life of the 603 area code, we will run out of phone numbers in the 603 area code sometime in the next few years,” wrote Cormen. “The bottom line is that this bill spends money just to kick the can down the road.”

The bill passed the Senate in March by a voice vote. The House Science, Technology and Energy Committee narrowly recommended it to pass by a vote of 10-9, and it was scheduled to go to the House for a full vote Thursday.

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New Hampshire

Nashua Fire Rescue thanks Southern New Hampshire Medical Center with banner

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1 hour ago

March 25, 2026

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Nashua Fire Rescue thanks Southern New Hampshire Medical Center with banner

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New Hampshire

A new statewide initiative aims to improve communication during labor

Published

13 hours ago

March 25, 2026

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A new statewide initiative aims to improve communication during labor

During labor things said can get lost in the rush – like a patient not knowing an incoming doctor’s name at the start of a new shift. Or sometimes patients worry about where their doctors are and if their personal concerns during delivery are being addressed.

It’s why a program called TeamBirth has been implemented at Dartmouth Health’s member hospitals with labor and delivery services.

TeamBirth was developed by Ariadne Labs, a health systems research center with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It addresses the health complications, mistreatment and high maternal mortality rates seen in the United States.

According to Ariadne Labs, 80 to 90% of patient harm comes from miscommunication between doctors and patients, with higher risks for Black and Indigenous people.

New Hampshire is the fifth state in the country to implement TeamBirth to all of its hospitals.

Dr. Emily Donelan is the medical director of the birthing pavilion at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, which launched their plan earlier this month. She said TeamBirth involves doctors, patients and their support teams, like doulas and midwives, writing out birth plans and important information on a whiteboard. It’s a way to make sure everyone is on the same page and patients feel empowered.

“I think the real goal is to prevent the telephone,” Donelan said. “That often happens in hospitals where the patient says something to the nurse, and then the nurse comes to the doctor, and then the doctor goes to the patient, but they’re not all in the same room simultaneously, and things can get lost.”

The whiteboard is just a tool for discussions patients and doctors will have with each other as labor begins. Donelan said that at various points during the delivery, especially when major decisions are made, doctors and patients will huddle at the patient’s bedside and discuss steps and options. The aim, she said, is to focus on the patient.

Doctors will ask the patient’s preferred name, how they want themselves and their baby to be treated, and encourage patients to use the whiteboard themselves – writing down questions, concerns and important information.

“So really eliciting their goals, their hopes, their dreams for their labor to make sure that before we jump into the plan and the decision making, we’re really centering what they want from this experience and hearing their voice first,” Donelan said.

Foundation for Healthy Families, the New Hampshire Perinatal Quality Collaborative and Unravel Healthcare are spearheading the TeamBirth initiative which is expanding to all hospitals with a labor and delivery unit in the state.

Exeter Hospital started implementing TeamBirth in 2024.

So far, the hospital has received positive feedback from patients who say they’ve felt heard and respected, says April St. Hilaire, director of The Family Center, The Center for Reproductive Care & Maternal Fetal Medicine at Exeter Hospital.

“Even in patients that don’t have the best outcomes, so to speak, like, let’s say they end up with a C-section versus a vaginal delivery, which happens, they still felt like they had a wonderful experience and were very well cared for,” St. Hilaire said.

St. Hilaire said it’s the shared decision making, as opposed to a patient being debriefed after a major decision is made, that can help healthcare providers earn trust.

Concord Hospital is rolling out TeamBirth this coming April.

Melissa Devine, director of Concord Hospital’s Women and Children’s Value Stream, said they’ve been building towards the launch of TeamBirth since October. She said TeamBirth isn’t an earth shattering shift – it’s really making sure everyone is on the same page during a significant life event.

“As we travel through the process, we know patients want transparency,” Devine said. “They want to be able to understand time frames. ‘When is my provider going to see me?’ And all of those little moments build the trust and just build the essence of making sure that everyone is on the same page when things matter most.”

Devine said Concord Hospital will also have prenatal services modeling TeamBirth at Laconia starting from six weeks gestation to after the first year of a newborn’s life.

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New Hampshire

Democrats gain ground in NH, new St. Anselm poll shows

Published

1 day ago

March 24, 2026

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Democrats gain ground in NH, new St. Anselm poll shows

The poll, released March 23, found that Democrats lead the generic ballot 49% to 41%, up four points from November.
Pappas leads both Republican challengers, former New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu and former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, in hypothetical matchups for Senate.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte still has a slight positive approval rating and beats her potential opponents in hypothetical head-to-head matchups.

Democrats are gaining ground ahead of the 2026 midterms, a new poll from Saint Anselm College Survey Center revealed.

The poll, released March 23, found Democrats lead the generic ballot 49% to 41%, up four points from November. That increase is likely due to concerns over the economy and foreign policy: 59% of voters surveyed oppose the recent military action in Iran, and a slight plurality now trust Democrats over Republicans on economic and affordability issues.

“War and economic uncertainty are creating headwinds for Republicans in New Hampshire, putting Congressman Chris Pappas in a stronger position than in our previous survey,” said Neil Levesque, the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, in a statement.

The poll found Pappas leads both of his potential Republican challengers, former New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu and former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, in hypothetical matchups for Senate. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-NH, also “restored her lead” against 2024 Republican nominee Lily Tang Williams.

Democrats also have more enthusiasm: 96% are “extremely likely” to vote in the midterm elections, compared to 88% of Republicans.

Despite the rise in support for Democrats, Gov. Kelly Ayotte still has a slight positive approval rating and beats her potential opponents in hypothetical head-to-head matchups. And President Donald Trump’s approval rating has remained largely unchanged.

The poll surveyed 1,491 New Hampshire registered voters online from March 16 to 18. The margin of error is +/-2.5%.

What is Kelly Ayotte’s approval rating?

The poll found Ayotte’s approval rating was 49%, with 47% disapproval. Her net approval is slightly down from November, when she was at 49% to 43%.

However, she still polls ahead of her two Democratic challengers for governor. Ayotte leads former executive councilor Cinde Warmington 46% to 39% and former Newmarket restaurant owner Jon Kiper 45% to 31%.

In the Democratic primary, Warmington leads Kiper 40% to 13%.

What is Donald Trump’s approval rating?

Forty-two percent of New Hampshire voters approve of Trump’s performance, the poll found, while 58% disapprove.

The same split is found on his favorability: 42% find Trump favorable, while 58% find him unfavorable.

This is largely unchanged from November, when he was at 57% disapproval and 57% unfavorable.

Buttigieg overtakes Newsom, Rubio gains support in 2028 primary polls

As presidential hopefuls continue to visit the early primary state, the Saint Anselm poll found some shakeups in an early look at the 2028 presidential primaries.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig, who finished second in the state in 2020, is an early favorite with 29% support from Democratic voters. At 15%, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has fallen back, the poll says, and he is followed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (10%) and former Vice President Kamala Harris (6%).

While Vice President J.D. Vance remains the top choice on the Republican side with 46%, his support has fallen from 57% in November while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has risen in the ranks.

“Rubio has tripled his support from 9% to 27%, and must now be considered a significant potential challenger to Vance,” the poll says.

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