Area code 404
Encyclopedia
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 and implemented in 1951. On July 1, 1954, area code 912
was assigned to southern and middle Georgia. (Since August 1, 2000 most 912 split, including southwest Georgia
, now area code 229
, and central Georgia, now area code 478
.) That long-standing relationship came to an end on May 3, 1992 when north Georgia
beyond metro Atlanta
was pushed into area code 706 (which is now overlaid with area code 762).
Residents of exurban areas complained about no longer being identified with 404, and BellSouth
(now AT&T
) 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 suburb
s and exurbs into area code 770
on August 1, 1995, but leaving all cellphones in 404. On January 1, 1998, area code 678
was overlaid onto all of both 404 and 770, and the FCC then required ten-digit dialing for every call. Because the FCC would not allow an area code to apply only to cellphones, new mobile numbers also began to use 678 or 770 instead of exclusively 404.
On September 2, 2001, area code 470 was overlaid on top of the 404, 770, and 678 area codes. Once phone numbers in the 678 area code are exhausted, phone numbers in the 470 area code will be assigned. This is likely to create confusion however, as it is common local shorthand
to write only the first digit of the area code. Also potentially leading to misdialed calls is that it ends in "70" just like 770, and can easily be mistaken in the south metro area for adjacent area code 478. The number was chosen by the Georgia Public Service Commission
and approved by NANPA
, as were the previous splits and overlays for new area codes in the state.
High-capacity telephone numbers, such as for contest lines for radio station
s, are assigned prefix 741. When 770 was split, these numbers continued to work as both 404-741-xxxx and as 770-741-xxxx, so that only seven-digit dialing was necessary. This lasted until 678 came into use. There are also other prefixes which are not assigned to just one exchange, such as 499 and 528 used by Cobb county government and formerly SPSU
. These were completely moved into 770.
, Gwinnett
, DeKalb
and Fulton
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and its immediate neighbors, roughly within Interstate 285
Interstate 285
Interstate 285 is an Interstate Highway loop encircling Atlanta, Georgia, for . I-285 is also known as unsigned State Route 407 and is colloquially referred to as the Perimeter. Suburban sprawl has made it one of the most heavily traveled roadways in the United States, and portions of the highway...
.
Originally, it covered all of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
when the area code system was first created in the 1940s and implemented in 1951. On July 1, 1954, area code 912
Area code 912
Area code 912 is a US telephone area code serving the state of Georgia, USA. It covers Savannah, Hinesville, Vidalia, Waycross, Brunswick, Douglas, Statesboro, Jesup, and southeastern Georgia.-History:Area code 912 was split from area code 404 in 1954...
was assigned to southern and middle Georgia. (Since August 1, 2000 most 912 split, including southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia is a thirteen-county region in the U.S. state of Georgia. A common acronym used is SOWEGA.The largest city is Albany. Counties include Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth.In 1995, 25% of the...
, now area code 229
Area code 229
229 is the North American telephone area code for part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It covers Albany, Valdosta, Bainbridge, Americus, Fitzgerald, Cairo, Moultrie, Thomasville, Tifton and southwestern Georgia. It was formerly part of Area code 912...
, and central Georgia, now area code 478
Area code 478
Area code 478 is a telephone area code serving the state of Georgia, in the United States. It covers Macon and Middle Georgia . It was formerly part of Area code 912...
.) That long-standing relationship came to an end on May 3, 1992 when north Georgia
North Georgia
North Georgia is the hilly to mountainous northern region of the U.S. state of Georgia. At the time of the arrival of settlers from Europe, it was inhabited largely by the Cherokee. The counties of North Georgia were often scenes of important events in the history of Georgia...
beyond metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
was pushed into area code 706 (which is now overlaid with area code 762).
Residents of exurban areas complained about no longer being identified with 404, and BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
(now AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
) 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 suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s and exurbs into area code 770
Area code 770
Area code 770 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan , assigned to Metro Atlanta, Georgia's suburbs and exurbs. It was split from 404 in December 1995, just three years after the 706 split...
on August 1, 1995, but leaving all cellphones in 404. On January 1, 1998, area code 678
Area code 678
678 is a North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, its suburbs and exurbs. The area code was first assigned to customers signing up for new telephone service on January 15, 1998. In local shorthand, 678 is usually written in shorthand for informal...
was overlaid onto all of both 404 and 770, and the FCC then required ten-digit dialing for every call. Because the FCC would not allow an area code to apply only to cellphones, new mobile numbers also began to use 678 or 770 instead of exclusively 404.
On September 2, 2001, area code 470 was overlaid on top of the 404, 770, and 678 area codes. Once phone numbers in the 678 area code are exhausted, phone numbers in the 470 area code will be assigned. This is likely to create confusion however, as it is common local shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
to write only the first digit of the area code. Also potentially leading to misdialed calls is that it ends in "70" just like 770, and can easily be mistaken in the south metro area for adjacent area code 478. The number was chosen by the Georgia Public Service Commission
Georgia Public Service Commission
The Georgia Public Service Commission is a public utilities commission, a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates telecommunications, transportation, electric and natural gas services in the U.S. state of Georgia....
and approved by NANPA
Nanpa
, also transliterated as nampa, in Japanese culture is a type of flirting and seduction popular among teenagers and people in their twenties and thirties. When Japanese women pursue men in a fashion similar to nanpa, it is called .-Etymology:...
, as were the previous splits and overlays for new area codes in the state.
High-capacity telephone numbers, such as for contest lines for radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s, are assigned prefix 741. When 770 was split, these numbers continued to work as both 404-741-xxxx and as 770-741-xxxx, so that only seven-digit dialing was necessary. This lasted until 678 came into use. There are also other prefixes which are not assigned to just one exchange, such as 499 and 528 used by Cobb county government and formerly SPSU
Southern Polytechnic State University
Southern Polytechnic State University is a public, co-educational state university located in Marietta, Georgia, USA just northwest of Atlanta...
. These were completely moved into 770.
Counties Served part with Area Code 678, and 770
Cobb, ClaytonClayton County, Georgia
Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat is Jonesboro...
, Gwinnett
Gwinnett County, Georgia
, Gwinnett County had a population of 805,321. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% white , 23.6% black , 2.7% Korean, 2.6% Asian Indian, 2.0% Vietnamese, 3.3% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.8% some other race and 3.1% from two or more races...
, DeKalb
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
and Fulton
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...