area code 334
{{short description|Area code in southeastern Alabama, United States}}
Area code 334 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for southeastern Alabama. It was created on January 15, 1995, in an area code split from area code 205.{{cite news
| last =Diel
| first =Stan
| title =Ma Bell gives time to adjust to new code
| work = The Birmingham News
| pages =B1
| date =1994-12-15
| url =
}} It was the first new area code in Alabama since the announcement of the area code system in 1947. To permit a transition period for the reconfiguration of equipment, such as computers and fax machines, use of area code 205 continued in the 334 region through May 13, 1995.
The numbering plan area (NPA) comprises the Montgomery, Auburn-Opelika, and Dothan metropolitan areas, as well as Phenix City and the Alabama side of the Columbus, Georgia metro area. The original 334 territory included the southern half of Alabama. The southwestern part of the numbering plan area was split off with Area code 251 in 2001, including Mobile.{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Lowry |work= The Huntsville Times |title=Flex your fingers for 10-digit dialing in 2010 |url=http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/local.ssf?/base/news/123616178931610.xml&coll=1 |date=2009-03-04}}
Area code 334 was the first interchangeable NPA code, not having the middle digit of 0 or 1,{{Cite web |url=http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL%2094-01-033.pdf |title=Bellcore Information Letter IL94-01-033 |access-date=2013-05-13 |archive-date=2010-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219175104/http://nanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL%2094-01-033.pdf |url-status=dead }} officially preceding Washington area code 360 by one minute.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL%2094-01-029.pdf |title=Bellcore Information Letter IL94-01-029 |access-date=2013-05-13 |archive-date=2010-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219180150/http://nanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL%2094-01-029.pdf |url-status=dead }}
NANPA projections in 2023 suggested the need for an additional area code in southeastern Alabama by early 2026, as 334 was nearing exhaustion.{{cite web|url=https://nationalnanpa.com/reports/2022-1_NPA%20Exhaust_Projections.pdf|date=2021-04-21|publisher=NANPA |title=2022-1 NRUF and NPA Exhaust Analysis|access-date=2021-04-24}} On March 5, 2024 the Alabama Public Service Commission approved an all-services distributed overlay with the new area code 483 for relief with an in-service date of February 26, 2026.{{cite web
|url=https://www.nanpa.com/sites/default/files/planning_letters/PL-626.pdf
|title=NPA 483 and 334 All-Services Overlay (Alabama)
|publisher=NANPA
|date=2024-05-07
|access-date=2025-03-25
|url=https://psc.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NEW-483-AREA-CODE-ANNOUNCED-FOR-CENTRAL_SOUTHEAST-ALABAMA.pdf |date=2024-03-21 |publisher=Alabama Public Service Commission |title=NEW 483 AREA CODE ANNOUNCED FOR CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST ALABAMA |access-date=2024-10-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401224437/https://psc.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NEW-483-AREA-CODE-ANNOUNCED-FOR-CENTRAL_SOUTHEAST-ALABAMA.pdf |archive-date=2024-04-01}} For customer education, a permissive ten-digit dialing period is scheduled from July 23, 2025, to January 23, 2026.
See also
References
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