Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Western New York's 716 area code will now share the spotlight with a new area code: 624.
Those in the 716 area requesting a new landline or mobile number could receive a 624 number starting as early as Sept. 11. This is in response to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator’s (NANPA) forecast of a shortage of telephone numbers in the area.
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"As a result of a strong demand for telecommunication services in Western New York, the New York State Public Service Commission last October approved a new area code for the area served by 716 using an area code overlay. An overlay occurs when two or more area codes serve the same geographical area. With the addition of the new area code, the region is now well-positioned to accommodate continued economic growth and growing consumer demand for telephone service," said New York State's Department of Public Service via release.
This new number change could impact residents living in in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara Counties.
It is advised that consumers and businesses need to know the following about the 624 area code:
- Current telephone numbers, including current area code, will not change
- All calls within and between 716/624 must be dialed with 10 digits
- Consumers will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all calls to other area codes
- What is a local call will continue to remain a local call
- The price of a call, and the price of other telephone services, will not change due to the new overlay area code;
- Calls to reach 9-1-1 Emergency Service will remain three digits
- If 2-1-1, 3-1-1, 4-1-1, 5-1-1, 6-1-1, 7-1-1 or 8-1-1 services are currently available in the community, consumers will still dial these codes with just three digits; and
- Numbers in the 624 area code will not be available for assignment until remaining numbers in the 716-area code are exhausted. A date has not been determined when the remaining 716- area code numbers will be exhausted.
The New York State's Department of Public Service also advises customers ensure that all services such as automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment recognize the new 624 area code as a valid area code. Some examples include 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.
The new area code is projected to provide telephone numbers for approximately 29 years.