ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Public Service Commission on Thursday approved an additional area code overlay within the current 716 area code in Western New York, in response to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator’s (NANPA) forecast of a shortage of telephone numbers in the 716 area code.
The new area code is expected to be activated before the second quarter of 2024, when it is expected the region could run out of available phone numbers.
However, the new area code will only be assigned to new phones being put into service after date.
According to the PSC, all existing 716 area wireline and wireless telephone customers in the overlay area will retain their current 716 area code and telephone numbers.
The actual new three-digit area code for Western New York will be announced at a later date.
Demand for new phone numbers is driven largely by the proliferation of new technology that requires an individual phone number, particularly cell phones.
As opposed to a generation ago when there was generally one phone per household, these days it's not uncommon for each member of a household to have a cell phone with its own number, helping to create the issue of numbers within an area code being exhausted.
Even when an individual moves out of Western New York, as many have in that time, technology allows for them to take their 716 cell phone number with them.
The measure is expected to ensure the region does not run out of telephone numbers for 29 years.
Splitting the 716 area code into two regions, like what happened in 2001 when the Rochester area was spun off and given a new 585 area code, was not considered, as such splits have been found to be too disruptive for residents and businesses, and not necessary with the ability to overlay a new area code.