Area Code Atlas

NPA 201 assigned to all of New Jersey

Area code 201 was assigned to the entire state of New Jersey in 1947 as part of the original North American Numbering Plan. It was the first area code designated for the state and one of the original 86 area codes.

First direct-dialed long-distance call using area code 201

Area code 201 was used for the first direct-dialed transcontinental long-distance call in 1951, connecting Englewood, New Jersey to Alameda, California. This event marked the beginning of Direct Distance Dialing (DDD) in the United States.

First Direct Distance Dialing call using NPA 201

On November 10, 1951, the first customer-dialed long-distance call was made from Englewood, New Jersey (area code 201) to Alameda, California (area code 415), marking the introduction of Direct Distance Dialing.

NPA 609 split from 201

Area code 609 was created in 1956 by splitting from the original 201 area code, assigning 609 to the southern part of New Jersey, including Trenton, Atlantic City, and the Jersey Shore, reducing the coverage of 201.

NPA 609 split from 201

Area code 609 was created in 1956 by splitting the original 201 area code, dividing New Jersey into northern and central/southern numbering plan areas.

New Jersey required area-code dialing for in-state calls outside the caller's NPA

All calls within New Jersey had been dialed without area codes until July 21, 1963, when office code protection was ended and customers were required to dial the area code when calling to a location in the state but outside their own numbering plan area.

Mandatory area code dialing begins in New Jersey

On July 21, 1963, mandatory area code dialing was implemented within New Jersey, requiring callers to use the area code when dialing to a location outside their own numbering plan area. This change ended office code protection and standardized dialing procedures across the state, affecting both 201 and 609.

NPA 908 split from 201

Area code 908 was created in June 1989 when New Jersey Bell announced a split of area code 201 to serve north-central New Jersey. The new code covered communities in Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren, and parts of Middlesex and Morris counties, serving 1.5 million access lines at the time.

NANP - SPLIT OF THE 201 NUMBERING PLAN AREA

NPA 908 split from 201

Area code 908 was created in 1991 by splitting the 201 numbering plan area, covering northern and western parts of New Jersey to provide more central office prefixes.

NPA 908 split from 201

Area code 908 was created in June 1991 by splitting from area code 201, serving northern New Jersey including Union, Somerset, northern Middlesex, Hunterdon, Warren, and parts of Morris counties. A permissive dialing period allowed use of either 201 or 908 until June 8, 1991.

NPA 908 takes effect

Area code 908 took effect in central New Jersey on June 8, 1991, ending the permissive dialing period during which both 201 and 908 could be used. After this date, calls required the use of the new area code for affected numbers.

NANP-Split of 201 (New Jersey) Numbering Plan Area (NPA)

NPA 201 split to create 973

Area code 973 was created by splitting from area code 201 on June 1, 1997, serving Essex, Passaic, Morris, and Sussex counties in northeastern New Jersey. The split was necessary to address number exhaustion in the region.

NPA 551 overlays 201

Area code 551 was introduced in 2001 as an overlay to area code 201 in northeastern New Jersey. The overlay was implemented to provide additional numbering resources for the region.

NPA 551 overlay on 201 announced

NPA 551 To Overlay NPA 201; NPA 862 To Overlay NPA 973; and NPA 848 To Overlay NPA 732 (New Jersey)

NPA 551 overlay introduced on 201

Area code 551 was introduced as an overlay to area code 201 on December 1, 2001, in northeastern New Jersey, including Hudson and Bergen counties. The overlay addressed number exhaustion and allowed existing customers to keep their numbers while providing additional resources.

Mandatory ten-digit dialing for overlays in northern and central New Jersey

On December 1, 2001, mandatory ten-digit dialing was implemented in northern and central New Jersey with the introduction of overlays 551, 862, and 848. Callers were required to dial the area code for all calls within these regions. Ten-digit dialing became mandatory in Northern New Jersey specifically to accommodate the new 551 overlay on area code 201.

NPA 551 overlay introduced for 201

Area code 551 was introduced as an overlay to the 201 numbering plan area to provide relief from numbering exhaustion. The overlay was announced in 2001 and introduced the following year.