Why are the they changing the the area codes in Illinois?

Question

For newspaper, we are doing a story on the area code change in Illinois, and I was wondering why they are doing this.

Answer 1

Area Codes will change due to reasons of running out of seven digit numbers. In the early day of the telephone the typical household had one number assigned to them. As technology advance ... pagers, cell phones, computers, fax machines and any other devices crowed and used up all the possible seven digit numbers. The only way to meet the demand is to create another area code so there is another set of seven digit numbers.

This might change alot in the near future do to the demand in cell phones and wireless communications.

Answer 2

They have done this in San Diego a few times in the last several years. Phone numbers are running out like a previous person said with cells and faxes and multiple lines for one place. The only way to get more is to add another area code and there are a lot of cities doing this now too.

Answer 3

That happened here in Texas a while back. They did it here because so many new phone numbers were being obtained they had to add area codes to keep up. Adding them, meant that some had to be switched. All of the Dallas area used to be 214. We're now214, 972, and 469.

Answer 4

I don't know, but I live in TN and my area code has changed 3 times in the past 20 years

Answer 5

Because of cell phones, fax numbers, etc., they are running out of new seven digit numbers. Adding new area codes will free up numbers.

Answer 6

Because of the explosion in phone numbers. Think about it, instead of having your work phone number and home, now you may have your cellphone, your spouse's cellphone, 2 kids with cellphones, a seperate number for a pager.. It all adds up, they just don't have the capacity to add numbers forever, it's not mathematically possible.

Answer 7

I live in IL and did not know this...