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Area codes 215, 267, and 445
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>When the <a href="/facts/American_Telephone_and_Telegraph_Company/BfsX7eX2">American Telephone and Telegraph Company</a> (AT&T) organized the telephone networks of North American with a universal <a href="/facts/Telephone_numbering_plan/jaryReDv">telephone numbering plan</a> in 1947, Pennsylvania was divided into four numbering plan areas, which received the area codes 215, <a href="/facts/Area_code_412/9TxKSDvn">412</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_code_717/K7xJmvuM">717</a>, and <a href="/facts/Area_code_814/YwLjmWvQ">814</a>. </p><p>Area code 215 was assigned to the <a href="/facts/Delaware_Valley/PsFAeSzu">Delaware</a> and <a href="/facts/Lehigh_Valley/JlDI7KlD">Lehigh Valleys</a> in southeastern Pennsylvania, including the <a href="/facts/Philadelphia/2bFFCCTU">Philadelphia</a> metropolitan area. </p><p>On January 8, 1994, the western and northern portions of the original 215 territory, including Philadelphia's western suburbs, most of <a href="/facts/Berks_County%2c_Pennsylvania/bBS6BBnY">Berks County</a>, and the Lehigh Valley, changed to <a href="/facts/Area_codes_610%2c_484%2c_and_835/6hy4IQQy">area code 610</a>, while Philadelphia and its northern suburbs retained 215. However, three central office codes were moved from 215 to east-central Pennsylvania's <a href="/facts/Area_code_717/K7xJmvuM">717</a>, namely 267 in <a href="/facts/Denver%2c_Pennsylvania/9RN9UNjo">Denver</a>, 484 in <a href="/facts/Adamstown%2c_Pennsylvania/bKtkzMn9">Adamstown</a> and 445 in <a href="/facts/Terre_Hill%2c_Pennsylvania/yz8Fc0C3">Terre Hill</a>, 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. </p><p>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 <a href="/facts/Ten-digit_dialing/22AY5qgI">ten-digit dialing</a>. </p><p>Area code 445 was first proposed in July 2000 as an overlay code on numbering plan area 215/267.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> However, these plans were delayed and then rescinded in 2003 by the <a href="/facts/Pennsylvania_Public_Utility_Commission/dfJMVJ8N">Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> 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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> 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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="service-area">Service area</h2> <p>The service area comprises all or parts of five counties in Pennsylvania.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Berks_County%2c_Pennsylvania/bBS6BBnY">Berks County</a> (extreme eastern portion)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Bucks_County%2c_Pennsylvania/IbgHur4W">Bucks County</a> (all but northeastern portion, which is served by <a href="/facts/Area_codes_610%2c_484%2c_and_835/6hy4IQQy">area codes 610, 484, and 835</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Lehigh_County%2c_Pennsylvania/QYK1TAIv">Lehigh County</a> (extreme southern portion)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Montgomery_County%2c_Pennsylvania/prBfrY5m">Montgomery County</a> (northern and eastern area, rest of county served by <a href="/facts/Area_codes_610%2c_484%2c_and_835/6hy4IQQy">area codes 610, 484, and 835</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Philadelphia_County%2c_Pennsylvania/dUEwItTC">Philadelphia County</a> (all)</li></ul> <p>Places with over 30,000 inhabitants: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Abington_Township%2c_Montgomery_County%2c_Pennsylvania/uzCAdCYa">Abington</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Bensalem_Township%2c_Pennsylvania/wJTfAxDs">Bensalem</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Bristol_Township%2c_Bucks_County%2c_Pennsylvania/h4PnVCpB">Bristol</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Cheltenham_Township%2c_Pennsylvania/j0k464C0">Cheltenham</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Falls_Township%2c_Bucks_County%2c_Pennsylvania/mVsyQxak">Falls</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Lower_Makefield_Township%2c_Pennsylvania/UdSJLaUg">Lower Makefield</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Northampton_Township%2c_Bucks_County%2c_Pennsylvania/Eb9kx8W6">Northampton</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Philadelphia/2bFFCCTU">Philadelphia</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Warminster_Township%2c_Pennsylvania/IXg1betf">Warminster</a></li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Philadelphia portal</li><li>Pennsylvania portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_Pennsylvania_area_codes/om1PE5bn">List of Pennsylvania area codes</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_NANP_area_codes/g3qUWoa5">List of NANP area codes</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.nanpa.com/resources/area-code-maps">"Area Code Maps"</a>. NANPA.</li></ul> <p> <a href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Area_codes_215,_267,_and_445¶ms=39.99_N_75.154_W_">39°59′24″N 75°09′14″W / 39.990°N 75.154°W / 39.990; -75.154</a> </p> <a href="/facts/Pennsylvania/HGqC5bBm">Pennsylvania</a> area codes: 215/267/445, <a href="/facts/Area_code_412/9TxKSDvn">412</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_570_and_272/WtguzRCg">570/272</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_610%2c_484%2c_and_835/6hy4IQQy">610/484/835</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_717_and_223/K7xJmvuM">717/223</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_code_724/0EIvk7kr">724</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_814_and_582/YwLjmWvQ">814/582</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_code_878/RC99bGAI">878</a><table><tbody><tr><td></td><td>North: <a href="/facts/Area_codes_610%2c_484%2c_and_835/6hy4IQQy">484/610/835</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_code_908/gIH0wBBq">908</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>West: <a href="/facts/Area_codes_610%2c_484%2c_and_835/6hy4IQQy">484/610/835</a></td><td>215/267/445 </td><td>East: <a href="/facts/Area_codes_609_and_640/yEwgncJC">609/640</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>South: <a href="/facts/Area_code_856/xkKkjYS1">856</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><a href="/facts/New_Jersey/pI5k19S7">New Jersey</a> area codes: <a href="/facts/Area_codes_201_and_551/gtF3gk0S">201/551</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_609_and_640/yEwgncJC">609/640</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_732_and_848/B21FqvMs">732/848</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_code_856/xkKkjYS1">856</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_code_908/gIH0wBBq">908</a>, <a href="/facts/Area_codes_973_and_862/Np9DVTIB">973/862</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"NPA 445 to Overlay NPAs 215 and 267 (Pennsylvania) / NPA 835 to Overlay NPAs 610 and 484 (Pennsylvania)" (PDF). (582 KiB) <a href="http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/pl-nanp-237.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/pl-nanp-237.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"NPA 445 Implementation for 215/267 NPA Rescinded — 445 NPA Code Reclaimed" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-02-11. Retrieved 2013-03-09. (64.5 KiB) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070211153116/http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/PL_332_v1.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070211153116/http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/PL_332_v1.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"445: Philadelphia, suburbs getting new area code (Pennsylvania)". (1.1 MiB) <a href="http://6abc.com/home/445-philadelphia-suburbs-getting-new-area-code/3011823/" target="_blank">http://6abc.com/home/445-philadelphia-suburbs-getting-new-area-code/3011823/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>April 2020 NANP exhaust analysis <a href="https://nationalnanpa.com/reports/2020-1_NPA_Exhaust_Projections_Final.pdf" target="_blank">https://nationalnanpa.com/reports/2020-1_NPA_Exhaust_Projections_Final.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Area Code 215 and 267 Map (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Retrieved June 22, 2011. <a href="http://www.puc.state.pa.us/telecom/pdf/areacode/215_ACMap.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.puc.state.pa.us/telecom/pdf/areacode/215_ACMap.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>