New 448 Area Code Coming To The 850 – Mandatory Change In How You Dial Is Coming May 22

April 23, 2021

A new area code is coming to Northwest Florida, a mandatory change in how you dial your phone begins in about a month.

Mandatory 10-digit dialing will be effective on May 22 for all calls, including local calls, for existing and new phone numbers in the 850 and the new 448 area codes. This includes landlines, cellphones and other devices.

“With Florida’s 850 area code running out of phone numbers, the 448 overlay plan and 10-digit dialing is necessary,” said PSC Chairman Gary Clark. “The good news is that Florida’s growing population and economy are driving this change. With today’s digital applications, programming 10-digit dialing into our contacts and devices is relatively easy.”

New customers, or requests for additional lines, are now assigned the new 448 area code. The PSC actually delayed mandatory 10-digit dialing implementation for three months—originally scheduled to begin in February—so that business customers in the overlay region had ample time to reprogram alarm systems and elevator operations.

Here are some other quick facts about the new 448 area code:

  • Your current telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
  • You will need to dial area code + telephone number for all local calls.
  • What is a local call now will remain a local call.
  • The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
  • You can still dial just three digits to reach 911. You can also dial three digits to reach 211 and 811, as well as 311 and 511, where available.
  • Telephone customers should remember to include their area code (3-digit area code + 7-digit telephone number) when giving their number to friends, family, business associates, and customers.
  • Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment recognize the new 448 area code as a valid area code, and should continue to program 10-digit telephone numbers.

The 850/448 area code region consists of 18 counties in the Florida Panhandle, including the cities of Pensacola, Panama City, and Tallahassee.

Comments

11 Responses to “New 448 Area Code Coming To The 850 – Mandatory Change In How You Dial Is Coming May 22”

  1. William Lingo on April 26th, 2021 12:34 pm

    @Lisa Traweek those numbers are being spoofed, they belong to people like you and I, but scammers are able to hijack our numbers and make it seem like legitimate companies are calling and you can’t find out who’s really calling you.

  2. Lorraine on April 25th, 2021 2:35 pm

    I know that Long Island has also split the area code.
    Nassau county is still 516 , but Suffolk county has been changed to 631 for several years now.

  3. Lorraine on April 25th, 2021 2:30 pm

    To the gentleman who grew up on Long Island , only Nassau county is still 516 area code. Suffolk county became 631 several years ago, and for the same reason….there were no more combinations available in 516. I know this because I have friends and family in Suffolk county.

  4. MJ on April 25th, 2021 12:35 pm

    Would make more sense if was 851 area code

  5. David on April 24th, 2021 3:04 pm

    Many many years ago the area code was 904 here…the same reason they went to 850…now 448.
    Time flies

  6. Josh Jones on April 24th, 2021 8:22 am

    Here’s the breakdown of the 3-digit numbers:
    911 – Emergencies
    211 – United Way – health and human services
    311 – City of Pensacola non-emergency services
    511 – State of FL traffic and travel information
    811 – Call Before You Dig

  7. Edward C on April 24th, 2021 1:42 am

    I wonder how many new landlines have been issued numbers since 850 premiered back in the 1990s. Most people seem to have just one number (cell phone). Hmm.

  8. ProudArmyParent on April 23rd, 2021 1:54 pm

    I’ve lived in Northwest Florida for a little over 40 years and this will be the 3rd area code in that time period (904, 850 and now 448). The area where I grew up on Long Island, New York is still 516 after over 70 years. This is crazy!

  9. Mike J. on April 23rd, 2021 12:24 pm

    They should just break up 850 like they broke us away from 904 many years ago.

  10. Lisa Traweek on April 23rd, 2021 5:55 am

    Maybe they should stop selling 850 lines to telemarketers
    I get calls from Cantonment, etc. from people calling from other countries…

  11. A.G. Bell on April 23rd, 2021 1:36 am

    Florida’s growing population and economy are driving this change., Progress by leaps and bounds Might as well make it a 20 digit dialing experience

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News