After approval by the California Public Utilities Commission Thursday, a new 669 area code will enter the Bay Area telecommunication domain starting November 2012. This means 408 will soon become a novelty linked to past generations of Santa Clara County dwellers.
The change had to be made because the 408 area code has run out of numbers, according to the PUC.
Along with the change, those with 408 numbers will have to dial 1 then the area code then the seven-digit phone number no matter who they’re dialing. Previously if dialing between 408 numbers, only the seven-digit phone number was needed.
No one will be required to change their existing phone numbers, as the change applies only to new customers.
The 669 area code is expected to expire after 36 years in use, when it runs out of numbers.
The 408 area code (and soon the 669 area code) is most prevalent in Santa Clara County, along with some neighboring cities and small unincorporated portions of Alameda and Santa Cruz Counties. Cities in the 408 area code include San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, and a portion of Palo Alto.
Area codes were first introduced to California in 1947. The region now served by the 408 area code was originally part of the 415 area code, one of the first three area codes in the state.
In June 1959, the 408 area code was created by splitting the 415 area code to meet consumer demand for new telephone numbers. In 1997, San Benito County and most of Monterey County and Santa Cruz County were split from the 408 area code and assigned the 831 area code.
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