AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) The Maine Public Utilities Commission has opened an investigation into a lack phone numbers available in the 207 area code, the only area code used in the state.

The investigation centers on the number-forecasting practices of the provider Verizon, the Portland Press Herald reported.

Last year, an assessment found that Maine no longer had access to most of the 8 million phone numbers in the area code. Because of expected demand, Maine’s area code could run out of usable numbers by late 2024, the newspaper said.

Carriers said that Maine should join the 25 states in the country that have added multiple area codes.

Maine Public Utilities Commission said it questions how Verizon distributes numbers to people.

“Verizon may be using unrealistic forecasting goals, unnecessarily tying up available phone numbers,” PUC Chairman Philip Bartlett said.