Central Florida to get new 689 area code

With Orange County’s population increasing about 17.5% since 2010 — and Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties following suit in growth — the 407 area code soon will be exhausted.

The Florida Public Service Commission announced July 10 that because new Central Florida phone numbers are in such high demand, a new area code will make its appearance within the next year.

The 689 area code will overlay the existing 407 area code. With all available 407 phone numbers expected to be exhausted in the next year, the 689 area code overlay will go into effect as soon as all 407 numbers are assigned. Phone numbers can be used by faxes, cell phones, ATMs and pay-at-the-pump gas stations, PSC officials said.

The 407 area code serves Orange, Osceola, Seminole and parts of Lake and Volusia counties. PSC officials said the 689 area code overlay only will affect new numbers; existing 407 numbers will remain unchanged.

Calls within the area currently require 10-digit dialing as a result of a limited area-code overlay (321) approved by the PSC in 1998.

“We’ve extended use of the 407 area code for as long as possible, but all available numbers are expected to be assigned within the next year,” PSC Chairman Art Graham said. “The North American Numbering Plan Administrator can now begin processing the 689 area code for efficient implementation when needed.”

According to the PSC, NANPA is the neutral third-party administrator responsible for forecasting and planning for the exhaust of geographic area codes. 

Originally NANPA projected the 407/321 Numbering Plan Areas would be exhausted in late 2003. NANPA petitioned the PSC in 2001 to approve an overlay relief plan, which it did in March 2002. 

The 689 area code overlay was set to start in July 2002, but NANPA later extended the estimated life of the 407/321 NPA and the PSC suspended the 689 overlay. Because of its aggressive push for number conservation plans, according to the PSC, the commission delayed a new area code in the 407/321 NPA for 16 years.

For more information, visit floridapsc.com or follow the PSC on Twitter at @floridapsc.