Area codes 310 and 424

Area codes 310 and 424are telephonearea codesin theNorth American Numbering Plan(NANP) for theU.S. stateofCalifornia.The numbering plan area includes theWest Los AngelesandSouth Bayareas ofLos Angeles County,a small portion ofVentura County,andSanta Catalina Island,which is located 26 miles (42 km) south.

Numbering plan areas in California (blue) and border states. This map is clickable; click on any region shown to visit the page for those area codes.Area codes 310 and 424 are shown in red.

Area code 310 was created in a split fromarea code 213on November 2, 1991. On January 25, 1997, area code 310 was split, creatingarea code 562for the southeast portion of Los Angeles County and a large portion of Orange County. Area code 424 was added to the remaining numbering plan area on July 26, 2006, in anoverlay plan,the first in California.

Splits and overlay controversy

Area code 562was originally intended as an overlay code forcellularandpagerservices for the existing 310 area. The overlay was planned for late 1995, and was expected to extend over the 213 and 818 areas the following year.However, the plan was changed to a split of 310, when theCalifornia Public Utilities Commissiondecided that an overlay would have disadvantaged subscribers of smaller companies in requiring ten-digit dialing.

The south and east portions of 310, roughly theGateway Citiesarea of Los Angeles County fromLong BeachtoWhittierand parts of Orange County becamearea code 562on January 25, 1997.

In lieu of executing an additional split, a new area code, 424, was implemented in the entire 310 region, first announced in early 1999. Previously, several proposals intended to split 310 atImperial Highway,a major east–west thoroughfare that marks the southern boundary ofLos Angeles International Airport.TheSouth Baybelow the boundary would have received area code 424. South Bay governments and businesses opposed such a move, since it would require costly changes to business cards, stationery, signage, and other business communications, just eight years after the previous change of area code for that area.

Announcement of the 424 overlay created an uproar in Los Angeles's politically powerful Westside community, in part because the change would necessitate dialing ten digits even when calling local numbers. Championed byLos Angeles TimescolumnistRobert Scheerin the paper's Santa Monica insert section, a protest movement arose in May 1999, focusing on the idea of telephone-number conservation. In a carry-over from the time of analog telephone systems, numbers were still assigned to telephone companies in blocks of 10,000, leading to a large portion of unused telephone numbers in each area code. Responding to the controversy, theCalifornia State Assemblypassed the Consumer Area Code Relief Act of 1999 on September 9, 1999, and the 424 overlay was tabled.

Having been staved off nearly seven years, the overlay with 424 was finally implemented on July 26, 2006. On December 31, 2005, customers began dialing1 + area code + seven-digit numberwhenever a call is placed by a caller in the 310 or 424 area code to any other area code, including 310 to 424 or 424 to 310. After July 26, 2006, customers were required to use the new 1 + area code + seven-digit number dialing procedure for all calls, although dialing 1 first on local calls is not required.

Service area

Los Angeles County

• Alondra Park
• Athens
• Avalon
• Beverly Hills(small portion in the323area code)
• Carson
• Compton
• Culver City
• Del Aire
• East Compton
• El Segundo
• Gardena
• Hawthorne(small portion in the323area code)
• Hermosa Beach
• Inglewood(small portion in the323area code)
• Lynwood
• Ladera Heights(also in the323area code)
• Lawndale
• Lennox
• Lomita
• Los Angeles
  • Bel Air
  • Brentwood
  • Harbor City
  • Harbor Gateway(small portion in the323area code)
  • Pacific Palisades
  • Playa del Rey
  • Playa Vista
  • San Pedro
  • Venice
  • West Los Angeles
  • Westchester
  • Westwood
  • Wilmington
• Lynwood(small portion in the323area code)
• Malibu
• Manhattan Beach
• Marina del Rey
• Palos Verdes Estates
• Rancho Palos Verdes
• Redondo Beach
• Rolling Hills Estates
• Rolling Hills
• Santa Monica
• South Gate(mostly in the323area code and small portion in the562area code)
• Topanga(small portion in the818area code)
• Torrance
• West Athens(mostly in the323area code)
• West Carson
• West Compton
• West Hollywood(also in the323area code)
• Willowbrook(also in the323area code)

See also

• List of California area codes
• List of North American Numbering Plan area codes

External links

• NANPA area code map of California
• 310 Area Code Location, Time Zone, Numbers.araara.co.

Californiaarea codes:209/350,213/323,310/424,408/669,415/628,510/341,530,559,562,619/858,626,650,661,707/369,714/657,760/442,805/820,818/747,831,909/840,916/279,925,949,951

	North:805/820,818/747
West:Pacific Ocean,808	310/424 includes islands offshore	East:213/323,562
	South:Pacific Ocean
Hawaiiarea codes:808