JANESVILLE, Wis. – Residents of south-central and southwestern Wisconsin will soon have another area code available to them: 353.
This addition comes after available phone numbers tied to the 608 area code are set to run out within a year and a half.
Jeff Gustin is the owner of 608 Vintage in Janesville. Their store has the area code as part of its identity as a business.
“We’ve got a little bit of everything,” said Gustin. “There’s a lot of Wisconsin-themed clothing, handmade goods, a lot of my vendors are from Wisconsin.”
The state’s Public Service Commission on Thursday announced the creation of the 353 area code, which is set to be in service by late next year.
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Gustin said the addition of the new digits won’t change much for his business.
“Even though if they’re adding another area code, people will still remember us as 608,” said Gustin.
The PSC said the 353 area code will provide new customers with phone numbers; the new area code will overlay areas that are currently served by phone numbers with the 608 area code.
“It’s important for us to remember that those of us who already have a number with the 608 area code will see no change to our phone numbers or how we use them,” said Matt Sweeney, the Public Service Commission’s external affairs director.
Sweeny said existing customers with 608 area code phone numbers will keep their current numbers and will continue to make and receive calls as they do currently.
All assignable phone numbers in the 608 area code are expected to be in use by the first quarter of 2024, prompting the need for an additional area code, the PSC said.
The 608 area code was created in 1955 as a result of the split of one of Wisconsin’s original area codes: 414
Plans call for another new area code, 274, to overlay the 920 area code region when phone numbers from the latter run out.
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