Area codes 916 and 279

Map of California numbering plan areas (blue) and border states. Area code 916 is shown in red.

Area code 916 is a California telephone area code that was one of the first three original area codes established in California in October 1947. The largest city in this numbering plan area is Sacramento, the state capital. It originally covered most of Northern California, but area code splits have reduced its coverage to the greater Sacramento area.

In February 2017, the CPUC created area code 279 to overlay 916 as the remaining supply of numbers in the 916 area code began to near exhaustion. Area code 279 began service on March 10, 2018.

History

Originally, the plan area covered the far northern portion of the state. In 1950, as part of a realignment of California's area codes, 916 was rotated to cover the northeastern corner of California, from the Sierra Nevada to the Central Valley. This involved changing Sacramento from area code 415 to 916.

The numbering plan area was split in a flash-cut on March 1, 1959, when area code 707 was created out of the northwest portion. On November 1, 1997, it was split again. The northeastern portion, including Redding, Yreka and Mount Shasta, became area code 530, reducing the 916 numbering plan area to Sacramento and its immediate area. On the same day, Dixon was reassigned from 916 to 707. This split left 916 as the first of the original 86 area codes that does not cover any part of its original area (The second would be Michigan's 517 when 989 was split off in 2001.).NANP1947.gif

In 2017, the CPUC approved an overlay area code to take effect in 2018, as all available prefixes were expected to be allocated by December 2018.^[1] On February 9, 2017, the CPUC announced that the new overlay area code will be area code 279.^[2] The new area code began service on March 10, 2018. Ten-digit dialing is required for the area as of now.^[3]

Towns and cities

Generally, 279 & 916 encompass Sacramento and its surrounding suburbs:

See also

• List of California area codes
• List of NANP area codes
• North American Numbering Plan

References

External links

• NANPA Area Code Map of California
• List of exchanges from AreaCodeDownload.com, 916 Area Code

Coordinates: 38°36′N 121°30′W / 38.6°N 121.5°W / 38.6; -121.5