Area codes 518 and 838

43°12′N73°54′W/ 43.2°N 73.9°W/43.2; -73.9

Area codes 518 and 838are telephonearea codesin theNorth American Numbering Planfor easternUpstate New Yorkin theUnited States.518 is one of the 86original North American area codescreated in 1947. Area code 838 was added to the 518 numbering plan area in 2017. The two area codes serve 24countiesand 1,200ZIP Codeareas in anumbering plan area(NPA) that extends from the easternMohawk Valleyto the Vermont border, and from theCanada–US borderto south ofAlbany.The bulk of the population is in theCapital District,the vicinity of the cities Albany,Schenectady,andTroy.Other cities in the NPA areGlens Falls,Plattsburgh,andSaratoga Springs.It includes theUpper Hudson Valleycounties,GreeneandColumbiacounties, and some northern parts ofDutchess County.

History

The 518 numbering plan area is the only one of New York's original five NPAs that still has its original boundaries. Despite the presence of the Capital District, this part of New York is not as densely populated as the rest of the state. As a result, even with the proliferation of cell phones and pagers (particularly in the Capital District and Glens Falls), it was one of the few remaining original area codes not counting those serving an entire state, that had not been split oroverlaid.By the spring of 2016, however, 518 was on the verge of depletion of available central office codes to create more telephone numbers and it was projected that the region would need another area code by 2019.^[1]By the autumn, however, it was anticipated that 518 would be depleted during the third quarter of 2017. An additional area code, 838, was approved to be implemented during the autumn of 2017.^[2]^[3]

From March 18 to August 19, 2017, telephone calls could be made using seven digits or ten digits (area code + seven digit number). Ten-digit dialing became mandatory on August 20, 2017, with recorded messages reminding callers if they dialed incorrectly. On September 19, 2017, area code 838 was activated, making this the second overlay in the upstate region.^[4]

Service area

By county

By community

References

^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2016-09-11.Retrieved2016-08-31.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Anderson, Eric (September 15, 2016)."Another three digits to join the 518".Times-Union.Albany, N.Y.:Hearst.Archivedfrom the original on September 19, 2016.RetrievedOctober 2,2016.
^Rulison, Larry (September 20, 2016)."Capital Region, say hello to area code 838".Times-Union.Albany, N.Y.:Hearst.Archivedfrom the original on October 3, 2016.RetrievedOctober 2,2016.
^Farrell, Michael P."New 838 area code will be phased in starting this month"Archived2017-09-26 at theWayback Machine.Albany Times Union.Retrieved September 25, 2017.

External links

NANPA area code map of New York

New Yorkarea codes:212/646/332,315/680,516/363,518/838,585,607,631/934,716/624,718/347/929,845/329,914,917
	North:450/579,613/343,819/873
West:315/680,607	518/838	East:413,802,860/959
	South:845
Connecticutarea codes:203/475,860/959
Massachusettsarea codes:413,508/774,617/857,781/339,978/351
Ontarioarea codes:416/437/647,519/226/548/382,613/343/753,705/249/683,807,905/289/365/742
Quebecarea codes:418/581/367,450/579/354,514/438/263,819/873/468
Vermontarea codes:802

[1] "Archived copy"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2016-09-11.Retrieved2016-08-31.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[2] Anderson, Eric (September 15, 2016)."Another three digits to join the 518".Times-Union.Albany, N.Y.:Hearst.Archivedfrom the original on September 19, 2016.RetrievedOctober 2,2016.

[3] Rulison, Larry (September 20, 2016)."Capital Region, say hello to area code 838".Times-Union.Albany, N.Y.:Hearst.Archivedfrom the original on October 3, 2016.RetrievedOctober 2,2016.

[tu838-4] Farrell, Michael P."New 838 area code will be phased in starting this month"Archived2017-09-26 at theWayback Machine.Albany Times Union.Retrieved September 25, 2017.

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