Damage to Cable Disconnects Area’s Directory Assistance

Pacific Bell customers in the 805 area code, which includes Ventura County, were unable to reach directory assistance for 3 1/2 hours Thursday after a construction worker in Visalia damaged a telephone cable, a company spokesman said.

The underground cable, which primarily handles calls between Pacific Bell offices in Northern and Southern California, was damaged at 2:30 p.m. Service was restored by 6 p.m., Pacific Bell spokesman Eric Johnson said.

Operators who answer directory-assistance calls from the 805 area code are in Northern California, Johnson said.

The 805 area includes all or part of five counties--Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern and Los Angeles.

“To my knowledge, making a call from 818 to 916, customers did not encounter problems,” Johnson said. “Regular long distance was able to flow freely throughout the state.”