November 09, 2016
Greater-Philadelphia residents are running out of phone numbers starting with 215 and 267 so a third area code will soon be issued in the region.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved a proposal Wednesday to add another area code ensuring that phone numbers will be available in the area. The new code has yet to be determined.
Neustar, on behalf of the state's telecommunications industry, submitted a petition in August warning that the 215 and 267 codes would soon be exhausted. The company projects that the pool of existing numbers would run out in the second quarter of 2019. The new numbers will not be available until the existing pool is in service.
The PUC supported the additional overlay without seeking the public's opinion because the region has previously implemented a new area code and is familiar with 10-digit dialing.
In June 1999, the 267 overlay was activated to relieve the pool of 215 numbers. The 215 area code has served the region since 1947.
The 215 and 267 area codes currently serve Philly and parts of Berks, Bucks, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties.
