Area code 404

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Area code 404 covers Atlanta and its immediate neighbors, roughly within Interstate 285.

Originally, it covered all of Georgia when the area code system was first created in the 1940s. Area code 912 was later assigned to southern and much of central Georgia. That long-standing relationship came to an end around 1992 when northern Georgia beyond metro Atlanta was pushed into area code 706. Residents of exurban areas complained about no longer being identified with 404, and BellSouth brought them back in, also adding them to what was already (and still is) the world's largest toll-free calling zone.

This, however, hastened the addition of another area code to metro Atlanta, forcing all of its suburbs and exurbs into area code 770 in 1995, but leaving all cellphones in 404. In 1998, area code 678 was overlaid onto all of both 404 and 770, and the FCC then forced 10-digit dialing for every call. Because the FCC would not allow an area code to apply only to cellphones, this also threw open the doors to new mobile numbers also having 678 or 770 instead of just 404. The confusing mix of split and then double-area overlay was the fault of the Georgia Public Service Commission.

The next area code to overlay the area is planned to be 470.