Talk:List of North American Numbering Plan area codes/Archive 1

Remove links to discourage creation of articles on individual area codes

 * Would that really be so bad? There's a lot to be said about the history of Area code 213 or Area code 212. And as someone pointed out on the "needs attention page" (if it doesn't link to Area code 213, people are going to link to 213, as in AD. By the way, I'm biased--it took me FOREVER to put all the Area code XXX links in, and I wish it had been discussed in Talk before the links were totally removed. jengod 23:59, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)
 * Also, the following pages already exist, and links should probably be restored on the page:
 * Area code 201
 * Area code 314
 * Area code 315
 * Area code 416
 * Area code 519
 * Area code 613
 * Area code 705
 * Area code 716
 * Area code 850
 * Area code 905


 * And indeed it's already happened; someone has linked some of the numbers to the damn year articles! That's worse than the other alternatives. &mdash;Morven 00:14, Aug 25, 2004 (UTC)
 * Wrod. Just changed all the links back to Area code XXX. I think there's nothing wrong with area code articles. Zip code articles (sans 90210) I could see being a problem, but area codes kind of make sense... jengod 18:36, Aug 25, 2004 (UTC)
 * I agree. Area codes are tremendously important in American culture. Just look at how many rap songs claim to "the 313", "the 314" etc.


 * I proposed in the Deletion policy discussion that we place additional information about all but the most notable area codes as parenthetical or footnotes on this page. Reading this discussion, I begin to see the sense in allowing individual articles. Both arguments (linking practice and cultural significance) are convincing. Right now most of this stuff is trivia, but it's a big encyclopedia and one could argue that telecommunications boundaries are becoming more important as geographic boundaries lose importance. -- Also, what about somebody working up a map for this page? Dystopos 00:12, 12 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * I created an article for Area Code 217, but (as you know) the page won't allow me to link to it. Feel free to change that at any time. RPH 05:24, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

"Starting with 1" note
Seems to me the "starting with 1" comment doesn't belong on a list page, especially not in the opening para; it would presumably be explained on the Area code or NANP page. Besides, I'm not convinced of the explanation given (you could, of course, just dial a 1 before the 1 in the area code, just like you're supposed to do with any trans-area-code call). - Keith D. Tyler &para; [ AMA ] 05:19, Apr 17, 2005 (UTC)


 * Hmmm well there's currently a section on N11.... But I know like 112 = emergency on mobile phones.  I don't want to try it on my home phone to annoy those poor folks at Emergency service but does 112 work on any part of the NANP's wire-line areas?   Of curiosity what about 113, 114, 115, 116 - 9 etc... Anyone know if those do anything???? CaribDigita (talk) 05:10, 10 February 2008 (UTC)

I recently had a call from someone saying they were from Microsoft, and the caller ID listing was 1-150-948-4298. That seems to go against the statement that area codes cannot start with a 0 or 1.RomeoMike (talk) 20:58, 8 May 2008 (UTC)


 * With the right tool, anyone can program Caller ID to display anything. HkCaGu (talk) 01:24, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Also, I'm not sure how valid this is - I stumbled across this page trying to find geographical information on a number that I have on my caller ID right now, area code 124, exchange 301. Google hasn't been able to find it - seems kind of odd.


 * Area codes, and sometimes prefixes, that start with a 1 or a 0 are often Outward WATS lines, intended for dialing outward, only. They should change the caller ID to some matching Inward WATS (i.e. 800 toll free) number so you can call them back. Co149 (talk) 03:35, 14 March 2011 (UTC)

Beginning cleanup
Just wanted to note that I'm beginning cleanup of this page and the associated area code articles, as per what seems to be consensus at Deletion policy/Area codes. Please feel free to pitch in. -- Avocado 23:47, 2005 May 19 (UTC)
 * Ran WikiCleaner several times to repair disambig. links. Because this is such a large article, didn't want to lose any repairs in the process and have to do it all over!-- Funandtrvl (talk) 19:32, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

898
Could someone verify / elaborate on 898 being "reserved by the Fox Network"? That doesn't sound real.


 * FWIW, http://www.computerhope.com/areacode.htm says 898 is reserved for VoIP. But NANPA's search still lists it as an unassignable expansion code. - Keith D. Tyler &para; 20:01, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Just a thought but perhaps for (just in case) they want to ever deploy Phone service over DirecTV's Satellites??? (From when they owned DirecTV)? Perhaps an area code that was for that???? CaribDigita (talk) 05:46, 10 February 2008 (UTC)


 * All area codes with 9 as the middle digit (N9X) are reserved for NANP expansion. 216.179.123.106 (talk) 20:21, 9 July 2008 (UTC)

Category loop
Am removing this from catagory "Area Codes" as it is already in subcatagory "North American Area Codes"....which is in catagory "Area Codes".

Area Code links
It just occured to me as to ask why the area codes themselves are hyperlinks when the state name next to them is where they redirect anyway? Pattersonc(Talk) 10:47 AM, Monday; January 30 2006 (EST)


 * So that someday, when someone writes an actual article about the a.c. itself, the link will go to it. —Tamfang (talk) 21:42, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

Special codes
Shouldn't this article incluse the special area codes? (i.e. 911, 411, 711, 800) Some people might not know what they mean.
 * No, the special codes [N11 and N9X] are explained in the opening and linked to, they should not be included in the list with area codes, as they are explicitly not area codes. --tonsofpcs (Talk) 20:54, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

North American Numbering Plan expansion
I suggest that references to expansion be only lightly touched on in the opening paragraph and that a separate article be created to deal with expansion. Although one industry forum has made its recommendation, it may be perceived as radical or confusing to customers and regulatory action (FCC, CRTC to a small extent) may be required to settle on the plan.

Any comments? GBC 20:09, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

Poll on individual article names
See Talk:North_American_Numbering_Plan. JulesH 08:33, 2 October 2006 (UTC)

200 Area code
According to this, "As an "area code" in the NANP, at present, 200 is universally known to be "unassigned" by Neustar, just as it was universally known to be "unassigned" by Bellcore and before that "unassigned" by AT&T. It is "earmarked" for some future "special services AREA code" in the NANP, in the way that "special AREA code" 900 is premium rate, "special AREA code" 800 and now 888, 877, 866, etc. when used as an AREA code in a ten-digit number is for toll-free, etc. " - also, nanpa.com lists area code 200 as currently unused. Gloriamarie 05:38, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

666 and 749?
I'm sorry, but why in the article does it say (including) 666 and 749 are not used? Did no one hear about Reeves, Louisiana?? Seems kind of negligent to not do the research on this type of article if writing it. You can read about the area code existence and change on the "Telecommunications" section of article Reeves, Louisiana. ~ GoldenGoose100 (talk) 01:04, 9 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Anyway this would require Area Code article pages for these two. I'd do it myself but I only fix articles (grammar, vandalisms, wordings, corrections) and don't possess that intricate internet research skill/wikipedia article creation knowledge.
 * Thanks ~ GoldenGoose100 (talk) 01:13, 9 February 2008 (UTC)


 * The prefix 666 in Reeves was (is?) a local exchange number, not an area code.
 * Area codes whose last two digits repeat are considered "easily memorable" and therefore reserved for special purposes. Of course, 666 might never be assigned.
 * Various other numbers are unused because, duh, they haven't been needed yet. —Tamfang (talk) 21:54, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

Area Code 062
According to the article, 062 is not a valid area code. Recently, I've been receiving calls from such an area code, according to caller ID. Some googling leads me to believe that this is a new scam, either attempts at phishing, fake warranty renewal, or simply to bill you for call charges. Haven't yet found conclusive proof or valid references, so it stays here in Discussion for now.

Supposedly, the use of "area code 062" is to discourage consumers protected by the National Do Not Call Registry from filing a valid complaint. The web site did in fact allow my complaint to be filed, and I suspect that the more attention is brought to this scam, the more likely that government will take action. — Nahum Reduta [ talk | contribs ] 07:47, 6 March 2009 (UTC)

What does this phrase mean?
It appears at 37x and 96x:

"(96x block reserved **in case consecutive numbers are ever needed**)" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.101.42.67 (talk) 02:30, 14 September 2009 (UTC)


 * Seems pretty clear to me: if two or more adjacent numbers are ever needed for some purpose, they'll be taken from one of those two blocks. —Tamfang (talk) 21:47, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

Maps Please
Can we start a movement to create maps for each of the area codes? The written descriptions of the locations are nice, but it's often hard to visualize the area just based on the description. Dolenath (talk) 19:21, 23 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Many of the articles for the codes do have maps. Are you suggesting that they be shown in this article? —Tamfang (talk) 19:26, 23 March 2011 (UTC)


 * I mean a effort to create maps globally for all codes, conforming to the WikiProject Maps best practices, of course. —Dolenath (talk) 19:40, 23 March 2011 (UTC)

Clarification needed on leading 0 and 1
Near the end of the lede paragraph, it says, "Furthermore, the central office prefix, i.e. the leading three digits of the seven-digit subscriber number, cannot begin with 0 and 1. This distinguished NPAs from central office codes." Yet the paragraph starts off with, "The rules for numbering NPAs do not permit the digits 0 and 1 as the leading digit of an area code."

It seems to me that it is saying the same rule applies to both NPAs and central office prefixes: no leading (or beginning) 0 and 1.

Waay back in the day, I knew Area Codes to be different from Prefixes in that ACs had to have 0 or 1 as their second or third digit, and Prefixes could not have 0 or 1 as second or third digits. Of course with the expansion of needed numbers, that is no longer true, so how do ACs and Prefixes differ now (if at all)??

WesT (talk) 20:13, 13 June 2016 (UTC)


 * Thank you, that is correct and I updated the lead. I think this may have been a left-over from another detail since removed. List articles should just be lists, not lengthy developments of a topic. Kbrose (talk) 20:40, 13 June 2016 (UTC)

Area Code 353
Where is it reserved? NANPA says some place in the US reserved it. Also, is Area Code 474 reserved for Saskatchewan?

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Area code 400
I noticed that there's no entry for +1 400 in the table; I'm assuming it's not valid / reserved, but didn't feel comfortable making an authoritative change :-)198.84.238.55 (talk) 19:50, 22 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Thank you for the observation. It is now added. Kbrose (talk) 23:42, 22 July 2019 (UTC)

US-centric area code page titles
I've run into the rather valid comment that the naming of the NPA-specific articles are titled ambiguously but are actually US-centric.

US (or NANP) is not the the only place in the world that has its own "area codes"; and in no way are the NANP area codes unique within the area codes of the world, as they are only specific to their country (or in NANPs case, country code).

I propose that all articles of the type Area_code_XXX be changed to NANP_area_code_XXX, with the former ambiguous titles eventually phased out or replaced with disambiguation pages where appropriate.

Yes, this is a lot of moves, but that would be a poor argument against repairing a US POV in article titling.

- Keith D. Tyler &para; 18:10, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I suggest Area_code_XXX (NANP), the usual clarification/disambiguation supplemental used when, in the course of time, multiple references appear (e.g. Airport (book), Airport (film)). GBC 23:52, 21 November 2006 (UTC)


 * NO! North Americans invented the whole concept of Area Codes, and the terminology BELONGS to US. THERE! The original Area Code idea and plan, invented in 1947, covered the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands including Cuba. (Formerly, there was just one area code for all of Mexico, but Mexico has been removed from this Area Code system and transferred to the system of the rest of the world.) Also, the whole concept of Direct Distance Dialing was invented in the United States, and it was first implemented in the U.S. and Canada - well before such countries as the United Kingdom did so as their system of so-called "trunk calls". There is something to be said for being FIRST with something and taking perpetual intellectual possession of it. As a matter-of-fact, the telephone itself was also invented in the United States of American by a man who was born an English-speaking Canadian citizen. So, we two countries have a right to the possession of its ideas and terminology in the English Language.Dale101usa (talk) 01:27, 4 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Following the basis of your argument to its logical conclusion, one could say that Canadians and Americans have no right to use the English language, as it was invented somewhere else.
 * But as to the question, it can be handled the way other such conflicts are. For instance, there are two articles, or rather, two redirect pages, concerning area code 877: Area code 877 (NANP) and Area code 877 (Russia). Page Area code 877 is a disambiguation page that links to both of the preceding.
 * Teemu Leisti (talk) 16:43, 17 January 2023 (UTC)

Is the exact phrase area code used in any other English-speaking country? I have the impression that elsewhere they're called city codes. —Tamfang (talk) 21:41, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

city links
Why are certain cities linked under each area code, and others are not? Is there some criteria for which get links? → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 21:34, 6 May 2015 (UTC)


 * i don't know but i am going to start adding them. Km415 (talk) 18:43, 4 February 2023 (UTC)