The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) reminds residents and businesses in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania of the activation of a new 835 area code.

                The new area code will serve the same geographic region as the existing 610 and 484 area codes – operating in parallel to those other area codes – so no changes in dialing will be necessary.  Still, consumers are urged to be aware of the upcoming arrival of the 835 area code.

                The first new 835 number were placed into service on September 2. The 835 area code is being placed into service because the remaining supply of numbers in the current 610/484 area codes is nearly exhausted.

                The 610/484 calling area serves residents and businesses in all or portions of Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.

                Current customers will keep their existing 610/484 phone numbers, but starting in September, residents or businesses seeking new telephone lines may be assigned numbers in the 835 area code.

                Because the region is already served by two overlay area codes, callers currently use 10-digit dialing when making calls – something they have been doing for more than 20 years, since the 484 area code was introduced in 1999.

                Because 10-digit dialing is already well established in this region, the eventual addition of the new 835 area code covering the same geographic area will not require any changes to the way area residents and businesses dial telephone calls – aside from using the new area code, when necessary.

                According to the latest planning letter from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, the process for dialing phone numbers in the region will remain the same: Local & Toll calls to and from other numbers inside the 610/484/835 area dial 10-digits; Local and Toll calls from the 610/484/835 area to numbers in another area code dial 1 + 10-Digits; and Operator Services (credit card, collect, third party) dial 0 + 10-Digits.

                While residents in the 610/484/835 area will continue to dial calls the same way they have for more than 20 years, the PUC urges consumers and businesses to be aware of the upcoming addition of a new area code.

                Tips to prepare for the eventual start of the new 835 area code include: Checking devices to verify that area codes are included with all stored numbers; Continuing to program/save/store phone numbers to all devices using the full 10-digit telephone number; and Verifying that all services and equipment – such as automatic dialers, life-safety and medical alert systems, alarm/security systems and security gates, call-forwarding settings, and voicemail services – recognize the new area code as a valid phone number.

                For those interested in checking their devices to confirm that they will work with the new 835 area code, a test number is now available: 835-990-TEST (8378). A recorded announcement will indicate the test call has been successfully completed.