You’re going to spend a little more effort dialing if you want to make an 805 to 805 area code calls starting on Saturday. A new area code overlay, 820, is coming to what we now know as the 805. Current 805 number holders will keep their numbers, but new customers in the region may end up with the new area code.
John Manning is Senior Director of the North American Numbering Plan Administration, which oversees issues like the allocation of area codes. Manning says an 820 overlay is being added because the 805 is starting to run out of the first three sets of prefixes in traditional seven digit numbers.
He says the North American Numbering Plan Administration has to look ahead to the future. Manning points out that 20 years ago, most homes had one or two phones. Now, a family of four might have a home phone, and four cell phones.
Starting on Saturday, you’ll have to dial one and the area code to make 805 to 805 calls. If you have an 805 cell phone, you won’t have to dial one, but you will need to add 805 when you make a call to another phone in the 805.
If you have 805 numbers programmed into an 805 home phone, you will need to reprogram them with 1-805 before the number for them to work. If you don’t add 805, the call won’t go through. On June 30th, new 820 numbers can be used for the first time. 820 includes most of the Central and South Coasts, as well as parts of Monterey and Kern Counties.
But, depending on the carrier, you still might be able to get an 805 number if you get new service. Some companies still have some of their allocated 805 number still available.
