Residents of Philadelphia suburbs will soon see a new area code added to the region’s phone numbers. 

In December 2021, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) announced that it had approved a petition filed by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) to add a new 835 area code.

According to the petition, the remaining supply of available 610 and 484 area code telephone numbers in the Lehigh, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, and Northampton counties — along with a portion of Montgomery County — is estimated to be exhausted in early 2023.

As a result, it is required to establish a new area code to support future demands in the region. 

However, the implementation plan approved by the PUC, no new 835 numbers will be assigned in the area until the remaining 610/484 numbers are completely exhausted.

Once that occurs, with the earliest date expected to be Sept. 2, new 835 area codes will be assigned.

According to the PUC, current customers will keep their existing 610 or 484 phone numbers. 

Due to the fact that the region is served by two overlay area codes, callers are required to use 10-digit dialing when making calls. It has been commonplace since the 484 area code was originally introduced in 1999. 

With this establishment, the eventual addition of the new area code in the region will not require any changes to the way area residents and businesses dial telephone calls, aside from the use of the new area code when necessary. 

The PUC is urging consumers and businesses to be aware of the upcoming addition of the new area code, providing the following tips:

• Check devices to verify that they that area codes are included with all stored numbers.
• Continue to program/save/store phone numbers to all devices using the full 10-digit telephone number.
• Verify that all services and equipment — such as automatic dialers, life-safety and medical alert system, alarm/security systems and security gates, call-forwarding settings, and voicemail services — recognize the new area code as a valid phone number.