Why do we need a new area code?
The
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities which regulates telecommunications had to act because projections were that the available new phone lines would run out."In October 2015 the Board of Public Utilities was informed that the number of available telephone numbers in the 609 area code would run out in the third quarter of 2018 if area code relief was not initiated," said Kathleen O'Brien, BPU spokesperson.That relief can mean either redrawing the current boundary of an area code or adding a new overlaying area code to the existing area, as in this case.Back when area codes were first put into use, the state was basically split in half with 609 covering the south and 201 covering the north.
Who's getting a new number?
The new area code, 640, will overlay the current 609 area code territory in the central and southeastern parts of the state from Cape May to Trenton. Starting Sept. 17, new telephone lines in the present 609 territory may be assigned numbers with the new 640 area code. If you already have a 609 number, that won't change, but anyone getting a new number from then on may be assigned the new area code.Adding 640 means New Jersey will now have 10 different area codes, O'Brien says. Those codes are 862, 973, 201, 551, 908, 732, 848, 856, 609 and now 640.