PUC Announces New ‘835’ Area Code Assigned to Parts of Southeast PA

835 to Serve the Lehigh Valley and Suburban Philadelphia When Remaining 610/484 Telephone Numbers are Exhausted

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission    December 2, 2021 | 2:54 PM

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today announced the assignment of 835 as a new area code which will eventually serve the same geographic area in southeastern Pennsylvania currently served by the 610 and 484 area codes.

The Commission voted 3-0 on December 2, 2021, to approve a petition filed by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), which is the neutral third-party entity that allocates telephone numbering resources.

Dwindling Supply of Existing 610/484 Phone Numbers

The 610/484 calling area serves residents and businesses in Lehigh, Berks, Delaware, Chester, and Northampton counties, along with a portion of Montgomery County.

According to the NANPA petition, the remaining supply of available telephone numbers in the 610/484 area is estimated to be exhausted in early 2023 – requiring the establishment of a new area code to support future demands in the region. 

Under 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.  When those remaining 610/484 numbers are exhausted all future phone number assignments will be made in the new 835 area code.

No Changes Required for Dialing Calls

Because the 610/484 region is served by two overlay area codes, callers are already required to use 10-digit dialing when making calls. Callers in this area have been using 10-digit dialing 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 NANPA petition, the dialing plan for the area code will remain the same:

  • Local & Toll calls to and from other numbers inside the 610/484/835 area:
    Dial 10-digits.
  • Local & Toll calls from the 610/484/835 area to numbers in another area code:
    Dial 1 + 10-Digits.
  • Operator Services (credit card, collect, third party):
    Dial 0 + 10-Digits
Prepare for 835 Area Code Arrival

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.
  • Verifying that all services and equipment – such as automatic dialers, life-safety & 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.

The PUC will continue to update consumers and businesses in the 610/484 region as the implementation of the new 835 area code draws closer.