ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today announced that residential, business and wireless customers within the existing 212/646/917 Manhattan area code region should begin to prepare for the introduction of the new 332 area code, beginning June 10, 2017.

To meet the increasing demand for residential and business phone numbers in Manhattan the Commission, in December 2015, approved a new area code to be added to the current 212/646/917 area codes currently serving the borough of Manhattan in New York City.

Beginning June 10, 2017, customers in the existing 212, 646 and 917 Manhattan area code region requesting new service, an additional line, or a move in the location of their service, may be assigned a number in the new 332 area code. Customers in the 347/718/929/917 area code that serves Staten Island, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens will not be affected by the new overlay area code.

An overlay area code is the most effective possible use of numbering resources in Manhattan and results in long-term relief, with the least expense, and the least amount of disruption and frustration to consumers as possible.

Customers will retain their current telephone numbers and 1+ ten-digit dialing by all customers within the area codes in Manhattan will continue as normal. The overlay will assign newly issued telephone numbers in the 332 area code once all existing area codes are exhausted and will apply to all telephone numbers, regardless of service type. The new area code is projected to provide telephone number relief in Manhattan for over 30 years.

Area code relief in Manhattan has an extensive history. With the creation of area codes in 1947, the 212 area code originally encompassed all five boroughs of New York City. Decades later, in 1984, a geographic split was implemented for area code exhaust relief of the 212, which created the 718 area code. The 212 continued to serve Manhattan and the Bronx while the 718 service Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.

Due to the exhaust of the 212 area code eight years later in 1992, the 718 area code was expanded to include the Bronx — which concurrently reduced the 212 area code to include only Manhattan. In the same year, the entire city was overlaid with the 917 area code, which was utilized exclusively for mobile service at that time. Five years later, the 212 area code again approached exhaust, so additional numbering resources became available through the creation of the 646 overlay area code.

Important facts that consumers and businesses need to know about the upcoming 332 area code overlay are:

 Current telephone numbers, including current area code, will not change.

• What is a local call now will continue to remain a local call.
• Consumers will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all calls to other area codes.   
• Calls to reach 911 Emergency Service will remain three digits.
• If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 services are currently available in the community, consumers will still dial these codes with just three digits.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• Calls between 332, 212, 646, and 917 area codes are local calls.

Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment recognize the new 332 area code as a valid area code. Some examples are: life safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions.  Business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and personal or pet ID tags should include the area code. 

The Commission’s decision in this proceeding, may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 15-C-0168 in the input box labeled "Search by Case Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500).  If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release. For more information, you may also visit your service provider’s website.