MIDTOWN — The coveted 212 area code is set to become a bit more elusive.
Manhattan is getting a new area code — 332 — in 2017, the New York State Public Service Commission announced Tuesday. Telephone companies now have to file implementation plans by mid-January and would start to roll out the new area code as early as spring 2017.
“The need for a new area code points to a thriving telecommunications market and growing population overall in New York City,” Commission Chair Audrey Zibelman said in a statement. “Creating a new area code will allow telephone companies to accommodate consumer demand and expand the use of wireless technologies.”
As part of the implementation plan, telephone companies will have to develop plans for outreach to their customers.
After 332 is introduced New York will officially have 18 area codes.
Most Manhattan customers have a 212 or 646 code for their landlines and a smaller number use 917, which is most common for cellphones.