LincMad Telephone Area Codes & Splits



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LincMad's Area Code Split Dates

Last updated 2008-11-29

Older splits (permissive before 2006-01-01) — see oldnews.html;
Note: all dates are in year-month-day format, so 2009-04-02 = April 2, 2009.
Dates given in the form 2009–Q2 are 2nd Quarter of 2009, for example.

Old New Area Affected Permissive Mandatory Test Number
706 762 GA: northern Georgia except Atlanta metro area (OVERLAY) NONE 2006-05-16 $762-222-7777
310 424 CA: San Pedro, Torrance, Santa Monica, Malibu, incl. Avalon (Santa Catalina Island) (service-specific overlay, then overlay, then emergency split revived by CPUC, then postponed indefinitely, finally implemented as an OVERLAY in 2006.) NONE 2006-08-26 424-424-0424
519 226 ON: southwestern peninsula, London, Windsor (OVERLAY) NONE 2006-10-28 226-510-TEST
226-610-TEST
$226-610-BILL
226-810-TEST
514 438 QC: Montréal (OVERLAY) NONE 2006-10-28 438-510-TEST
438-610-TEST
$438-610-BILL
438-810-TEST
815 779 IL: Rockford, Joliet (OVERLAY) NONE 2007-03-17 779-779-0000
604
250
778 BC: entire province (OVERLAY EXPANSION) (778 was originally a concentrated overlay on Vancouver and the urban portion of 604, but was expanded to a general overlay on the entire province, including the 250 area code and the rural areas of 604.) NONE 2007-07-04 none
985 504 LA: Lower Plaquemines Parish and the Mississippi River Delta (REALIGNMENT) (The (504) area code rate centers of Delacroix, Lake Catherine, St. Bernard, and Yscloskey merged into the New Orleans rate center. The (985) area code rate centers of Buras, Pointe-a-la-Hache, and Port Sulphur also merged into New Orleans/(504). The Venice rate center changed from (985) to (504). The (985) 358, 534, 564, 644, 687, and 814 prefixes reverted to (504); the (985) 238 and 333 prefixes changed to (504) but with new 7-digit local numbers.) 2007-07-29 2008-05-01 none
630 331 IL: Aurora, Hinsdale (OVERLAY) NONE 2007-10-07 $331-330-0331
505 575 NM: Las Cruces, Roswell, Taos (not Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Farmington) 2007-10-07 2008-10-05 575-600-1234
$575-580-0575
$575-295-0000
418 581 QC: Québec city, Gaspé (OVERLAY) NONE 2008-09-19 581-510-TEST
$581-510-BILL
581-610-TEST
$581-610-BILL
581-710-TEST
$581-710-BILL
581-810-TEST
$581-810-BILL
403
780
587 AB: entire province (OVERLAY) (587 overlays both 403 [Calgary, southern] and 780 [Edmonton, northern]) NONE 2008-09-19 587-510-TEST
$587-510-BILL
587-610-TEST
$587-610-BILL
587-810-TEST
$587-810-BILL
714 657 CA: Anaheim, northern Orange County (OVERLAY) NONE 2008-09-23 657-222-0002
657-222-0222
304 681 WV: entire state (OVERLAY) NONE 2009-03-28 681-990-TEST
801 385 UT: Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden (OVERLAY) (originally to be a split in 2001, then postponed, postponed again, postponed yet again, and finally reinstated as an overlay) NONE 2009-03-29 385-600-1234
818 747 CA: San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County) (OVERLAY) NONE 2009-05-18 747-222-TEST
760 442 CA: Oceanside, Escondido, northern San Diego County, Palm Springs, Death Valley, eastern Sierra Nevada, inland areas: originally scheduled as a split for late 2008, changed to an OVERLAY at the last minute. All existing 760 numbers will remain unchanged. NONE 2009-11-21 442-442-1442
442-730-TEST
442-973-TEST
270 364 KY: Paducah, Henderson, Hopkinsville, westernmost tip (not Bowling Green, Owensboro) 2010-04-01 t.b.a. 364-364-4444
613 343 ON: Ottawa, eastern (OVERLAY) NONE 2010-09-18 343-510-TEST
$343-510-BILL
343-610-TEST
$343-610-BILL
343-810-TEST
$343-810-BILL
618 730 IL: East St. Louis, southern (OVERLAY) NONE t.b.a. t.b.a.
217 447 IL: Champaign, Springfield (OVERLAY) NONE t.b.a. t.b.a.

black - new area code is already mandatory (use only the new area code)
blue - new area code in permissive status (use either old or new)
green - new area code not yet in use (use old area code until permissive date)
red - special notations

"Permissive" refers to the date at which it becomes possible to use either the old or the new area code. You should begin using the new number as soon as possible after the permissive date.

"Mandatory" refers to the date at which it becomes necessary to use the new area code. If you dial the old area code after the mandatory date, you will reach an error recording, or worse, a wrong number.

An overlay is a new area code that occupies the same geographic territory as the existing area code. Existing numbers are not changed, but new prefixes are assigned from the new area code.

A realignment is the assignment of prefixes at the border of one area code to an existing adjacent area code. Only the indicated area is affected; other numbers in either area code are unchanged.

The Test Number is a special number (usually, though not always, not charged) that allows you to test whether all the links in the chain from you to a new area code are operating correctly. In order for you to reach a new area code, your premises equipment (office PBX, for example) must allow you to dial it. Then the telco central office must accept the new area code as valid and route it correctly. If the new area code is outside your LATA, your chosen long-distance carrier must also route the call correctly. Calling one of these numbers will usually reach a simple recording saying something like, "You have successfully completed a call to area code XXX." Note that some test numbers are billable numbers, possibly at international rates. However, most test numbers in the U.S. and Canada will not bill. In cases where a test number is shown ending with –TEST, dial –8378; for –BILL, dial –2455. Where possible, a test number that is known to bill is marked with a "$" before the number.

Note that the test number for a new area code is usually disconnected within a few months after the mandatory date. If you dial one of the older test numbers shown here, you may reach an ordinary subscriber.


The state of Illinois has not yet established effective dates for the 618/730 and 217/447 overlays, which will be implemented as the existing codes run low on available numbers.

The mandatory date for the 270/364 split in western Kentucky has not yet been established.

Editorial commentary and explanatory notes about area code splits have now been moved off onto a separate page.

Don't see a split listed here that used to be? Splits and overlays that have been cancelled or indefinitely postponed may no longer be shown.


More details about area code splits and overlays can be found on the AreaCode-Info pages, maintained by John Cropper and Eric Morson. There is also an excellent listing of state/provincial regulatory agencies provided by the state of New York.

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Go to "old news" page (older splits)
Go to postponed splits and overlays

Return to LincMad's Telephone Area Code page
Got an old number and don't know the new area code? Try the cumulative listing of area code splits, numerically by original area code.

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