872 New Chicago Area Code Goes Live This Week

Beginning on Saturday, Chicago residents will start having to dial 11 digits to make local calls.

With the addition of Chicago's third area code, 872, callers will have to dial one of the city's three area codes plus the seven-digit local phone number (along with the requisite 1), even if calling someone within the same area code.

The third area code is coming online Nov. 7 to help alleviate a phone number shortage, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission and the City of Chicago. It will overlap with areas already covered by the 312 and 773 area codes.

No one's current phone number will be affected by the new area code, and there are no charges for calling between the three area codes.

Comments

[ChiGuy]

Area codes have almost nothing to do with actual "areas" anymore.
People move from state to state and retain their cell numbers despite their new geographic location.
Also a friend of mine here in Chicago working for a California based company was supplied with a company phone pre-programmed with essential business contact numbers and shipped to him from the corporate HQ. It has a Cali "area code".

Time marches on.

[larry278]

WTF? We in Allentown, Pa have learned to live with using 610, A'twn's AC, & then the phone #. While I use AC 610 constantly, I don't notice that I'm using 610. It has been just 1 more habit of playing the phone game. Chicagoland will use its AC's as a matter of habit. The people of Chicagoland learn to adapt to changing conditions quickly; it's just a survival skill.

[Galeso]

More half truths. The Huffington Post said "Beginning on Saturday, Chicago residents will start having to dial 11 digits to make local calls." If you use the unionized SBC - Ameritech phone service sure you will, but if you have a cell phone or MagicJack 10 digits is all you really need. And way back in 2003 it was reported that spending on cell phones had out passed land lines.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

Welcome to my world 847-land

[BVictor1]

This is going to be a major pain in the butt. There's no reason why this should be happening. Do they have to do this in New York or L.A. where there are actually more people? Can't they just put a law into effect or enforce whatever is on the books to keep the phone companies from buying blocks of numbers?