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PSC Announces A New Area Code For Northwest Florida
November 6, 2019
The Florida Public Service Commission has announced the new area code for Northwest Florida.
That new area code is 448.
The current 850 area code is running out of available phone numbers, and state regulators on Tuesday approved the addition of the 448 area code to alleviate the number crunch.
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator, which oversees area code planning across the nation, said the 850 area code will run out of available phone numbers in the first quarter of 2022. The additional area code would be expected to provide enough available phone numbers until 2049.
The new area code would cover the same area as the current 850 area code, which includes Escambia County to Tallahassee.
The PSC says the new 448 area code should begin working in mid 2021, at which time all local calls will require 10-digit dialing.
All existing customers will retain the 850 area code and would not have to change their telephone numbers, according to the PSC.
Comments
9 Responses to “PSC Announces A New Area Code For Northwest Florida”
I agree with everyone here. I get calls daily from a local number. When I answer, it’s a recording about “my cars extended warranty”. I block the number and still receive daily calls. I answer because it’s a local number. This has been going on almost a year. So that proves these predatory companies buy up bundles of numbers.
If the phone companies would stop VOLP numbers , that would help everyone. They are everything from telemarketers to women using disconnected numbers to hide their ID.
If phone company’s and cell phone company’s would QUIT selling lots of phone numbers to tele-marketers there would be plenty of phone numbers to go around and that would make all their customers happy.
When will this official????
Why they always pick on NorthWest Florida???? give the extra dang numbers to the “SOUTH/NORTH” people from Orlando to Miami and leave us ALONE!!!
@Niknak50 you are correct. The reason being because local numbers will have two different area codes. 850-123-4567 would be local, but so would 448-123-4567. Using 10 digits tells the system which local number to go to.
It’s not a big deal. I’ve been using 10 digit dialing for over 20 years. You can dial all 10 digits right now if you want to go ahead and start getting used to it.
remembering the days gone-by when there was only one
phone and its number in most households. now theres a
phone for each person so simple math is the culprit. NW
Fla. is still the place to be .
10 digit dialing…….so one would have to change all their contact numbers in their phone for local numbers? If I understand correctly?
448…how gauche.