Web LincMad.com

Main Index

Current Numbering

• Map of area codes for 2010 (GIF format) (map updated 2010-02-01, text updated 2010-03-07)
• Table of AREA CODE SPLITS, showing the dates, cities, and test numbers (after 2007-01-01), updated 2010-03-07
• Tables of cities and area codes, up to date and accurate! (Listed by state / province / country / territory), updated 2010-01-29. The listings are now divided as follows. US States: AK to CT, DC to LA, MA to OR, PA to WY; Canada; Other NANP locations and nearby non-NANP country codes
• Locator guide, area codes listed numerically with major cities, updated 2010-03-07
• List of Non-geographic codes (toll-free, information services, etc.) in North America
• List of overlay area codes, updated 2010-03-07

History and Evolution

• Table of the original 86 area codes from 1947
• Map of the original 86 area codes
• Map of area codes from the most stable period, the 1970s
• Table of the evolution of the original area codes to their present form, updated 2007-02-23

Moderately Recent Events

• Cumulative listing of all area code splits from 1980 to present. (Got an old number and don't know the new area code? Try this listing!) Updated 2008-12-08
• "Old News" — listing of splits begun from 1995-01-01 through 2006-12-31
• Editorial commentary and explanatory notes about the area code split/overlay table, updated 2003-10-28

International Information

• Table of information about area codes in the Caribbean and other nearby regions
• Map of Caribbean area codes
• International telephone and Internet country codes, updated 2010-03-07 — note: the Dutch island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean will change from (part of) +599 to +1 721. Originally scheduled for 2010-05-31, the change will probably happen some time in 2010 or 2011. (Until further notice, continue to use +599 for Sint Maarten.)
• Map and comprehensive multilingual listing of telephone country codes, city codes, Internet country codes, and time zones for AFRICA, updated 2010-07-14.
• International kickback numbers (used for phone sex, telesleaze, etc.) — numbers to watch out for on your phone bill, or block from your PBX! (provided without warranty), updated 2000-12-30 (Take the LincMad Challenge — can you document a telesleaze number that carries a surcharge over and above the regular charge for calls to that country?)

Other Information & Fun Stuff

• Methods of relief (realignment, split, 3-way split, overlay) for area codes that are filling up, 1999-10-08
• Future expansion of North American numbering, updated 2001-07-01
• My original proposal for future expansion
• "Why not just go to 8-digit local numbers now?" (a frequently asked question)
• "Why do we need so many new area codes?"
• Just for fun — mnemonics for area codes (for example, 859 = UKY for the University of Kentucky)
• An article about me from the New York Times (1997-12-28)
• A second New York Times article featuring LincMad.com (archived on the AreaCode-Info.Com site with permission of the New York Times)
• An article I wrote about Local Number Portability and Number Conservation issues [originally posted on the AreaCode-Info.Com website] (1998-11-02)
• Proposal regarding area code relief in the 714 and 949 NPAs in Orange County, California (1998-09-14)
• Excerpts from the FCC Regulations related to telephone numbering administration (provided without warranty)

Administrivia

• Site feedback
• Copyright notice (updated and clarified 2006-03-23)
• Privacy policy (updated 2001-12-22) (note: LincMad.com does not use cookies)
• Links to other related sites (Note: these sites are maintained by other people or companies.)

Site overview

This site contains information about the North American Numbering Plan, the telephone numbering scheme that serves the United States, Canada, and several other countries and territories in the region. The NANP divides the participating countries into area codes, each of which is a three-digit number. Within each area code, a telephone number is always 7 digits, except for special codes like the 911 emergency number. In the late 1990's, the NANP added new area codes at a rate unprecedented in its 50-year history, with demand fueled primarily by the outdated system of allocating blocks of numbers to telephone companies. More efficient allocation methods, coupled with consolidation in the telecommunications industry, have slowed the flood of new area codes to barely a trickle, from 45 in 1997 to only 3 in 2007. This site contains information about the original area codes from 1947, their evolution to the current state, and future developments, including area code splits and area code overlays.

These pages are designed with limited graphics to speed loading times. The tables of information require a browser that supports HTML tables. Almost all browsers do, but text-based browsers (e.g., Lynx) may display the information in a jumbled form. The maps are displayed as GIF images, which can be displayed on any graphical browser.

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