The Houston area is running out of telephone numbers and will soon add a fifth area code to accommodate its growing population.
According to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Houston's four existing area codes (281/346/713/832) are expected to run out of telephone numbers in 2025.
Once those numbers are exhausted by carriers, new numbers will be assigned with the area code 621.
The new code will provide the area with nearly 8 million additional numbers and is expected to meet numbering needs until 2034. The last time Houston added an area code was in 2013 with the addition of area code 346.
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"Houston-and all of Texas continues to grow because our state offers freedom and opportunity that cannot be found anywhere else in the world," said Gov. Greg Abbott (R). "This new phone area code is a testament to the economic strength and quality of life in the greater Houston area. I thank the Public Utility Commission for taking this critical step to improve telephone infrastructure to meet the demands of our growing state."
The PUCT said the addition of the 621 area code is an overlay and will not impact any existing numbers. Since the area is already served by multiple area codes, residents are familiar with dialing 10 digits to make local calls.
In March 2020, the PUCT announced the Dallas area would be adding area code 945 with numbers in area codes 214, 469 and 972 expected to be exhausted in early 2021. Area code 945 was expected to meet numbering needs in Dallas for 13 years, until 2034.
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HISTORY OF HOUSTON AREA CODES
The Houston area's first area code, 713, was created in 1947 as one of the original four numbering plan areas (NPA) assigned to Texas, the PUCT said.
In 1996, the 713 NPA was split into two, switching most Houston suburbs to the 281 area code. Rapid growth in the following two years required the PUCT to approve the elimination of the boundary between the 713 and 281 area codes and add the 832 area code, creating an overlay of three area codes for the combined Houston area.
As a result of eliminating the boundary and creating a third overlay, Houston residents were required to start 10-digit dialing for local calls.
