Area codes 215, 267, and 445 are telephone
area code
A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunication to assign telephone numbers to subscriber telephones or other telephony endpoints. Telephone numbers are the addresses of participants in a telephone network, rea ...
s in the
North American Numbering Plan
The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is an integrated telephone numbering plan for twenty-five regions in twenty countries, primarily in North America and the Caribbean. This group is historically known as World Zone 1, World Numbering Zone ...
(NANP) for
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
and adjacent portions of
Bucks and
Montgomery counties in the
U.S. state of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
. Area code 215 was one of the
original North American area codes established in 1947, while 267 and 445 are
overlay codes for the same numbering plan area (NPA).
History
When the
American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) organized the telephone networks of North American with a universal
telephone numbering plan in 1947, Pennsylvania was divided into four numbering plan areas, which received the area codes 215,
412,
717, and
814.
Area code 215 was assigned to the
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
and
Lehigh Valleys in southeastern Pennsylvania, including the
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
metropolitan area.
On January 8, 1994, the western and northern portions of the original 215 territory, including Philadelphia's western suburbs, most of
Berks County, and the Lehigh Valley, changed to
area code 610, while Philadelphia and its northern suburbs retained 215. However, three central office codes were moved from 215 to east-central Pennsylvania's
717, namely 267 in
Denver
Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
, 484 in
Adamstown and 445 in
Terre Hill, with 215-267 becoming 717-336 because 717-267 was already in use. These exchanges were originally slated to move into 610, but were served by non-Bell telephone companies which sought to consolidate their eastern Pennsylvania customers into one area code.
This was intended as a long-term solution, but within two years 215 was close to exhaustion due to the rapid growth of the Philadelphia area and the proliferation of cell phones and pagers. For relief, area code 267 was established as an overlay on the 215 numbering plan area on July 1, 1997. Local calls across the Delaware/Pennsylvania border required
ten-digit dialing.
Area code 445 was first proposed in July 2000 as an overlay code on numbering plan area 215/267. However, these plans were delayed and then rescinded in 2003 by the
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The need for new phone numbers in area codes 215/267 was delayed until 2018. Area code 445 was activated as an additional overlay code on February 3, 2018. This had the effect of assigning 23 million telephone numbers to a service territory of four million people, and 215/267/445 is not projected by the NANP to need a fourth area code until possibly beyond 2050.
April 2020 NANP exhaust analysis
/ref>
Service area
image:Philly skyline.jpg, 300px, Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
was located in the original numbering plan area 215; 267 was added in 1997 and 445 in 2018.
The service area comprises all or parts of five counties in Pennsylvania.Bristol
Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
*Cheltenham
Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...
* Falls
* Lower Makefield
*Northampton
Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...
*Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
* Warminster
See also
*List of Pennsylvania area codes
This is a list of telephone area codes of Pennsylvania.
In 1947, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company divided Pennsylvania into four numbering plan areas (NPAs) and assigned distinct area codes for each. Since 1995, several relief actions ...
*List of NANP area codes
The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) divides the territories of its members into geographic numbering plan areas (NPAs). Each NPA is identified by one or more numbering plan area codes (''NPA codes'', or ''area codes''), consisting of three dig ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Area Codes 215, 267, and 445
215
215
Philadelphia
Telecommunications-related introductions in 1947
Telecommunications-related introductions in 1997