A new area code will be coming to parts of Maryland as phone numbers in some of the current area codes run out, according to the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Phone numbers are running out in the 240 and 301 area codes. Those area codes mainly serve Allegany, Charles, Garrett, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, and Washington Counties. People with phone numbers beginning with those area codes also live in Frederick, Howard, Carroll, and Anne Arundel counties, according to the public service commission.
The Public Service Commission expects those phone numbers to run out by the second quarter of 2023. Each area code has approximately 7.9 million possible phone numbers, according to a spokesperson from the Public Service Commission. That means the places getting a new area code have allocated 15.8 million phone numbers and are about to get 7.9 million more.
There has been a substantial increase in the number of devices needing phone numbers, according to a spokesperson for the Public Service Commission.
People in those areas will begin to be served by a new code, 227, according to the Public Service Commission. The commission says 227 numbers will not be assigned until the remaining 240 and 301 numbers are completely exhausted. Once they are gone, all future phone numbers in those areas will be assigned the new 227 area code, according to the commission.
People with 240 and 301 phone numbers will not change, according to the commission.