Community Corner

Maryland Adds an Area Code

Get the 411 on the new 667 area code.


Maryland introduced a new area code over the weekend and Howard County is among the areas impacted.

"The existing 410 and 443 area codes are exhausted," wrote the Maryland Public Service Commission in a prepared statement.

As of March 24, people signing up for new telephone services may be assigned an area code of 667 if they live in Howard, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester.

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Existing customers will not experience a change in numbers, said officials, who noted that dialing 667 will remain a local call.

It's been 14 years since Maryland added 443 as an area code, according to WJZ.

Find out what's happening in Elkridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mobile devices have contributed to the depletion of numbers, reported The Washington Post, which said Maryland's oldest area code was 301, followed by 410, 240 and 443.

Last fall, the Federal Communications Commission projected the 410 and 443 numbers would run out in early 2012, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported there was a surge in requests for new numbers last September that may have been related to the release of a new iPhone.

To keep up with demand, the 667 area code will provide 7.92 million new numbers, according to the Federal Communications Commission, which shares jurisdiction with states in determining area codes.


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