Area code 878

Summary

Area code 878 is an area code in the North American Numbering Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania, centered in Pittsburgh. It forms an overlay complex with two distinct numbering plan areas, 412 in Pittsburgh and some suburban areas and 724 in surrounding 412 in the southwestern corner of the state. Area code 878 was activated on August 17, 2001.

Area code 878Area code 716Area code 585Area code 607Area code 845Area codes 973 and 862Area code 908Area codes 410 and 443Area code 302Area codes 240 and 301Area codes 304 and 681Area codes 330 and 234Area code 440Area code 724Area code 878Area code 724Area code 814Area codes 272 and 570Area codes 610, 484, and 835Area code 856Area codes 215, 267, and 445Area codes 609 and 640Area codes 223 and 717Area code 412
Pennsylvania (blue) with numbering plan area 878 shown in red.

History edit

Area code 412 had served southwestern Pennsylvania for 41 years since 1947, before area code 724 was created for most of the old 412 territory outside of Pittsburgh in 1998. Bell Atlantic (now part of Verizon), the main telephone provider in the area, wanted to implement 724 as an overlay to spare residents and businesses the burden of changing their numbers. However, overlays were still a new concept at the time, and met with considerable resistance due to the need for ten-digit dialing. Thus, the relief plan was changed to a geographic area code split. Within two years, however, both 412 and 724 were in jeopardy of exhaustion. Overlays had gained more acceptance by then, so 878 was implemented as an overlay. It was activated on August 17, 2001.[1]

Although ten-digit dialing has been mandatory in southwestern Pennsylvania since 2001, no 878 numbers were assigned for more than a decade due to number-conservation procedures implemented in both Pittsburgh itself and the suburbs. On February 15, 2013, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced it would start to issue 878 numbers in the 724 territory sometime within the next year, as 724 was nearly exhausted.[2] The first 878 numbers were assigned in April 2013, nearly 12 years after the overlay was activated.[3]

On September 15, 2015, the first prefix (999) was assigned in the 412 territory.[4]

As of February 2020, Verizon is issuing 878 telephone numbers for 412's original territory.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Planning Letter PL-281: Rationing in NPAs 412, 724, and 878 (Pennsylvania)" (PDF). NANPA. 2001-05-14. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  2. ^ "Southwestern Pa. To get new '878' area code - the York Daily Record". Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2013-02-15.
  3. ^ CAA Report April 2013
  4. ^ "878 Area Code: Location, prefixes, cities, map, time zone and assignments | TeraCodes". www.teracodes.com. Retrieved 2020-02-16.

External links edit

  • NANPA area code map of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania area codes: 215/267/445, 223/717, 272/570, 412, 484/610, 724, 814/582, 878
North: 814
West: 234/330, 304/681 412/878 and 724/878 East: 814
South: 304/681
Ohio area codes: 216, 330/234, 419/567, 440, 513, 614/380, 740/220, 937/326
West Virginia area codes: 304/681

40°01′37″N 79°54′50″W / 40.027°N 79.914°W / 40.027; -79.914