Why would a phone number have two area codes?

Area codes bring a call to the larger geographic region which may contain multiple towns; at the same time, large cities generally have multiple area codes.

Can you have the same number with different area codes?

Yes. The area code is the first three digits in a ten digit number in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) that the US uses. The final seven digits can be the “same” in each area code.

Why would someone have a different area code?

Thanks to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, you no longer have to sign up for a new cell number when you move. This means that your neighbor’s number might have a different area code and could have even been assigned many states and thousands of miles away.

How are area codes chosen?

Initially, states divided into multiple numbering plan areas were assigned area codes with the digit 1 in the second position, while areas that comprised entire states or provinces received codes with 0 as the middle digit.

What is an overlaid area code?

What is an area code overlay? An overlay is the addition of another area code (771) to the same geographic region as an existing area code (202). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code or telephone number, but does require using a new dialing procedure to complete calls.

Why does someone else have the same phone number as me?

If people are calling you saying you called them when you did not, that just means your number was being spoofed. Whoever called them made it look like the call was from your number when it actually was not. Caller id spoofing is a common technique of telemarketers and scammers.

Can other people have the same phone number?

It is possible for two people to have the same number providing they are being authenticated on the HLR by two different SIM codes.

Who decided area codes?

The Bell System, formerly a system of companies led by the Bell Telephone Company, created the first area codes back in the 1940s called the North American Numbering Plan. These designated area codes helped automate telephone calls to anywhere across the country without the use of a human operator to connect you.

How many different phone numbers are possible?

Each area code has 792 prefixes or “NXX” codes. Each NXX has 10,000 possible numbers. Therefore, theoretically, there are 7,920,000 telephone numbers per area code.

Is the 707 area code changing?

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will begin the process to introduce a new area code that’s now served by 707, as the 707 area code is expected to be depleted of phone numbers by December 2023.