Who Controls District of Columbia Area Codes?
The District of Columbia has just one area code. It is one of the original 86 area codes introduced by AT&T and Bell’s Laboratories in the late 40s to replace the old numbering and switching systems. Identifying this area code will help residents avoid scammers and claiming to be from the District but calling with other area codes, a method called call spoofing. Current NANPA estimates suggest that the area code will be exhausted by 2022. The area code for the District of Columbia is:
Area code 202
While the FCC, through NANPA, regulates the numbering system and ensures the country does not run out of phone numbers, it is the duty of the state to control the area code in their territory. In the District of Columbia, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is in charge of administering the area code. There is currently a review of a petition by NANPA to the PSC to start preparing for relief of the 202 area code as the projected exhaustion period gets closer.
Where is Area Code 202?
Area code 202 was part of the original 86 area codes that were introduced in 1947. It serves the whole federal District of Columbia, which has Washington DC as the only city.