Area codes 304 and 681

Area codes 304 and 681 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the entirety of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The numbering plan area was established in October 1947 with area code 304, as one of the eighty-six original North American area codes. Area code 681 was added to the same area as an overlay in 2009.

History

Due to West Virginia's low population, the state still needed only one area code in the early 21st century. With the growth of telecommunication services, in particular proliferation of cell and mobile phones and fax machines, news reports in 2007 indicated that West Virginia would soon need a new area code.

On January 29, 2008, the West Virginia Public Service Commission voted to split numbering plan area 304, while commission chairman dissented in favor of an overlay. The proposed split had Charleston, Parkersburg and points south (Huntington, Bluefield, Beckley) staying with area code 304, while the northern and eastern portions of the state (Wheeling, Morgantown, Martinsburg, Clarksburg) would have received a new area code. Telecommunications service providers were also in favor of an overlay. They wanted to spare their northern West Virginia customers, particularly in rural areas, the burden of having to change telephone numbers, which would have required reprogramming of all cell phones.

Over the following two weeks, numerous state and local government officials and various business interests voiced opposition to a split, in favor of the overlay option, with Governor Joe Manchin supporting the overlay. Several telecommunications providers appealed to the Public Service Commission for an overlay, which was unanimously approved by all three commissioners on February 13, 2008. It was the first example of an entire state previously served by a single code installing an overlay plan.[citation needed]

Area code 932 was once reserved for use as a future area code in West Virginia, but since then central office code 932 was assigned in Charleston. West Virginia's numbering plan is not projected to exhaust in the foreseeable future.

Implementation details of the new area code were announced by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) in Planning Letter 375 of March 2008. Permissive ten-digit local dialing of numbers in the existing 304 area code began no later than July 26, 2008. During this period, local 304 calls could still be dialed with just seven digits. Mandatory ten-digit local dialing of existing 304 numbers took effect on February 28, 2009. New numbers for area code 681 became available on March 28, 2009, one month after the start of mandatory ten-digit dialing.

Service area and central office codes

External links

• . North American Numbering Plan Administrator.

38°28′46″N 81°00′47″W/38.479395°N 81.013184°W/ 38.479395; -81.013184