This California area code is running out of phone numbers. Here’s the plan for new digits
On Monday, the California Public Utilities Commission rolled out a new 350 area code due to a high demand in phone numbers throughout the region.
“The 209 area code is expected to be depleted of available prefixes by December 2022,” the commission stated in a news release.
Available prefixes refer to “the first three numbers after the area code in a phone number.”
If you live in the 209 area code and purchase a new phone line, chances are you’ll be assigned the new 350 area code.
What counties will the 350 area code overlay occur?
The 350 addition, also known as an overlay, will occur in parts of the following 13 counties:
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Calaveras
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Madera
- Mariposa
- Merced
- Sacramento
- San Joaquin
- Stanislaus
- Tuolumne
Will my current 209 area code number change?
No. Your current phone number will remain the same. The new area code will only be issued to newly requested phone lines.
Will pricing change?
The price of calls will not change, according to the CPUC. Calls that are considered local now will also remain local call with the new area code implementation.
This story was originally published November 29, 2022 at 11:23 AM with the headline "This California area code is running out of phone numbers. Here’s the plan for new digits."