212 Area Code

[Jon360]

Does anyone know if it is possible to get a cellphone # with a 212 area code in NYC from any carrier??

Thanks,
-Jon

[bumato]

I'm no expert on this but I believe the answer is no. At one time 917 was created for non-landline devices before FCC rules came into effect banning the practice of service specific area codes. Actually, 212 is pretty full so you'll probably have difficulty even getting a landline with a 212 code as 646 is generally used now.

[NYCDru]

Originally posted by: Jon360
Does anyone know if it is possible to get a cellphone # with a 212 area code in NYC from any carrier?? Thanks, -Jon

Businesses and individuals in Manhatan are having a hard time getting a 212 phone number. I live in the city and have NEVER seen a 212 cell number. I belive that the 212 area code bellongs entirely to Verizon comunications who is the local telephone company.

[bumato]

This link will detail who owns all the exchanges in area code 212 as well as the rest of NYC. Though Verizon does not own all 212 prefixes, there appears to be no non-landline providers in 212.

212 area code prefix owners
http://members.dandy.net/~czg/prefix.php?exch=136090

[Jon360]

I was just at the Verizon store earlier and they told me that a 212 number would be "impossible" to get.

[NYCDru]

Originally posted by: bumato
This link will detail who owns all the exchanges in area code 212 as well as the rest of NYC. Though Verizon does not own all 212 prefixes, there appears to be no non-landline providers in 212. 212 area code prefix owners http://members.dandy.net/~czg/prefix.php?exch=136090

No...they are all landline network providers of some kind.

[Scalici26]

Forget a 212 prefix, it getting hard to get a 917 prefix these days. Now 347 seems to be the popular prefix.

[bumato]

Originally posted by: NYCDru

No...they are all landline network providers of some kind.

Yes, please forgive my use of a double negative. The intent is that all 212 numbers are landline numbers.

[Joe0378]

The FCC now says you can not designate a certain area code for landline/cellphone service. However, since its hard to get a 212 landline number since they almost ran out and are now giving 646 area codes for landlines in Manhattan, it would be much harder to get a 212 area code for a cell phone.

[NYCDru]

My Dance studio has a 917 number so that exchange isn't just non landlines. But in General NYC is Telco conundrum.

[discjoker]

Based on the list above, 212 is not only for landlines. Nextel, Sprint Spectrum as well as others own exchanges in 212.

[ryanjudy]

not in the 212, if you notice when you scroll down it seems to move on to 616

[bobolito]

Neither Nextel, nor Sprint own exchanges in the 212 area code. Your best bet would be Verizon Wireless, but I don't think even them use the 212 area code for wireless.

Here are the companies that own a chunk of the 212 area code and the respective exchanges they own:

EAGLE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (200)

PAETEC COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (201)

GLOBAL NAPS, INC. - NY (202)

LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC - NY (203)

RCN TELECOM SERVICES, INC. - NY (204, 217, 600, 706, 784, 842)

VERIZON NEW YORK, INC. (205-208, 210, 212-216, 218, 219, 221-230, 232-270, 272-276, 278-283, 285, 286, 288-291, 296-298, 302-310, 312-319, 321-323, 325-327, 330, 332-335, 337-358, 360-363, 365-371, 373-375, 382-388, 390-399, 403, 406-410, 412, 414-418, 420-429, 431-434, 436, 437, 439-443, 445-452, 454-456, 458-460, 462-470, 472-477, 480-484, 486-496, 498-506, 508-510, 512-514, 516, 517, 521-536, 538-541, 543-546, 550-554, 556-564, 566-583, 585-588, 591-599, 602-610, 612-615, 618-623, 625-633, 635-650, 654, 656-658, 661-670, 672-698, 701-705, 707-709, 712-728, 730, 732-737, 740-762, 764-770, 772-783, 785-791, 793-795, 797, 799, 800, 802, 804, 806-809, 813-816, 818-821, 825-834, 836-841, 844, 846, 848, 850-856, 858, 862, 864-870, 872-881, 883, 885-893, 898-900, 902-910, 912, 914, 916, 917, 921-930, 932, 934-936, 938-949, 951-957, 960-980, 982, 989, 992, 995-999)

TELEPORT COMMUNICATIONS GROUP - NY (209, 277, 284, 331, 336, 372, 413, 435, 438, 444, 453, 478, 479, 497, 590, 601, 699, 729, 731, 738, 771, 801, 803, 805, 822-824, 835, 845, 849, 857, 863, 894-896, 913, 920)

MULTIPLE OCN LISTING (211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, 811, 700, 911, 950, 958, 959)

MCI WORLDCOM COMMUNICATIONS INC. - NY (220, 271, 292-295, 328, 376-378, 634, 651-653, 655, 739, 843)

GLOBAL CROSSING LOCAL SERVICES, INC.-NY (231, 993)

MCIMETRO, ATS, INC. (287, 299, 301, 320, 381, 389, 401, 419, 457, 519, 520, 547-549, 617, 659, 884, 901, 918, 919)

INTERNATIONAL TELCOM, LTD. - WA (300)

CABLEVISION LIGHTPATH, INC. - NY (324, 485)

AT&T LOCAL (329, 471, 515, 518, 589, 671, 798, 817, 882)

METROPOLITAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS (359)

TIME WARNER AXS NYC - MANHATTAN (364, 379, 380, 402, 405, 430)

BROADVIEW NETWORKS, INC. - NY (400, 937, 991)

FOCAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP OF NEW YORK (404, 507, 810, 812, 931)

ACC NATIONAL TELECOM CORPORATION - NY (461, 796)

ALLEGIANCE TELECOM, INC. - NY (537, 871)

WINSTAR OF NEW YORK. LLC - NY (542, 584, 616, 624, 792, 897, 933)

NONE (555, 565)

RNK, INC. (660)

LOCAL FIBER LLC (710)

INTERMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS INC. - NY (763, 847)

NET-TEL CORPORATION-NY (915)

XO NEW YORK, INC. (981, 994)

AMERICAN NETWORK, INC. (990)

[Ktsui]

Getting a 212 area code for your cell phone is not impossible, but it is like the lottery, it takes a lot of luck. I know because I was able to obtain a 212 area code for my T-Mobile service back in May 2004 when I sign up as a new customer, and I didn't even ask for it. The number was probably randomly selected by their system and assigned to my account by their network. Someone probably recently left Manhatten and that number was just available. What's ironic about this is that people who now move to Manhatten can't even get a 212 area code for their landline, while I reside in Queens.

[MeatChicken]

It would be simple to get a 212 cell number ..., "IF" , you have or are able to get a 212 landline to port over.
If you live in Manhattan, call VZW & "beg" for a 2nd "teenage line" on your home account, that has a 212 area code.
If they are able to find one for you, keep it for a week or so, then port it over ...

Originally Posted by MeatChicken

It would be simple to get a 212 cell number ..., "IF" , you have or are able to get a 212 landline to port over.
If you live in Manhattan, call VZW & "beg" for a 2nd "teenage line" on your home account, that has a 212 area code.
If they are able to find one for you, keep it for a week or so, then port it over ...

I'm not positive but I thought Verizon landline charges a fee of $80.00 to for getting the 2nd line. If this is the case then $80 seems like a high price to pay just to obtain a 212 area code.

Originally Posted by Ktsui

Getting a 212 area code for your cell phone is not impossible, but it is like the lottery, it takes a lot of luck. I know because I was able to obtain a 212 area code for my T-Mobile service back in May 2004 when I sign up as a new customer, and I didn't even ask for it. The number was probably randomly selected by their system and assigned to my account by their network. Someone probably recently left Manhatten and that number was just available. What's ironic about this is that people who now move to Manhatten can't even get a 212 area code for their landline, while I reside in Queens.

Welcome to WA Ktsui. This thread was started on 5-30-2003 so I'm sure the OP either found a way to get the area code, or gave up. Any way with my Tmobile service the area code that I wanted was no longer coming up in their system so I had to take the first available area code that came close to where I live.

[ansky]

I have Cingular and was able to obtain a 212 number about two years ago. I called customer service and told them I wanted a 212 number and the guy read me a whole list of available numbers in the 212 area code. I simply had to pay a $36 change number fee and had the new number within a couple minutes.

[CBB]

With number portability,

Users are often buying mobile phone prepaid 212 area code SIM cards on Craigslist and other places. Then they are "porting" the number to their cellular carrier or establishing service with the SIM card Co. It seems many of these numbers originate with Tmobile. Also, easy to remember and repeating type #'s are getting very expensive i.e. hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Trivia - NYC received the 212 area code because it could be dialed very fast on a rotary phone, this was deemed important for NYC. Remember those rotary phones???

[zamboni77]

reminds me of the old days when my grandparents landline was changed from 212 to 718 and mine was changed from 201 to 908. Ah the 80's

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by zamboni77

reminds me of the old days when my grandparents landline was changed from 212 to 718 and mine was changed from 201 to 908. Ah the 80's

Yes, when only a few area codes existed and were much easier to remember. Not anymore with 347, 973, and on and on.

Same here in the Los Angeles area, where we once had 3, we now have 14!!! Insane...

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by zamboni77

mine was changed from 201 to 908. Ah the 80's

That's when we only had 2 area codes, I remember all the people complaining about the split ups, I went from 201 to 908 as well.
Now it's up to 9 I believe & for such a small state mind you. But yes "Ah the 80's"

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Fire14

That's when we only had 2 area codes, I remember all the people complaining about the split ups, I went from 201 to 908 as well.
Now it's up to 9 I believe & for such a small state mind you. But yes "Ah the 80's"

There's nothing worse for areas involved in an area code split or overlay to have to change for the third or fourth time. There are some areas of Southern California who've been through this several times.

Case in point: Palm Springs began as 213, then 714, then 619, now 760. Then there's Riverside which went from 213, to 714, then to 909, and now 951. Ridiculous...

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

There's nothing worse for areas involved in an area code split or overlay to have to change for the third or fourth time. There are some areas of Southern California who've been through this several times.

Case in point: Palm Springs began as 213, then 714, then 619, now 760. Then there's Riverside which went from 213, to 714, then to 909, and now 951. Ridiculous...

LOL I am glad Utah still has a small population we only have to area codes for the whole state 801-435

[Mobile Mike]

By the way, I have to add that I have a 212 number with Vonage. I've had it for the past 3 years. I love having a little bit of Manhattan in SoCal...

[RJB]

In the long run what is so neat about having 212

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by RJB

In the long run what is so neat about having 212

I am a big NYC fan. Having a 212 number is kind of cool (to me) because it's such a hard area code to get a phone number from.

[zamboni77]

Originally Posted by Fire14

That's when we only had 2 area codes, I remember all the people complaining about the split ups, I went from 201 to 908 as well.
Now it's up to 9 I believe & for such a small state mind you. But yes "Ah the 80's"

Small state, but the most densely populated state in the country.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by zamboni77

Small state, but the most densely populated state in the country.

And 1 of the reasons when I can retire I am out of this clam bake. I just haven't figured out where I want to go, somewhere where there are mountains is my preference but my wife want's the shore. Maybe 2 seperate houses will work

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Fire14

And 1 of the reasons when I can retire I am out of this clam bake. I just haven't figured out where I want to go, somewhere where there are mountains is my preference but my wife want's the shore. Maybe 2 seperate houses will work

Hmm, could California be in your future??? We have mountains AND a coastline, all within a few miles of each other in some places...

The only problem is you'd be one of the 38 million people in this state, Ahhnold would be your governator, and there are micro-climates all over place. The good thing is this state is pretty gosh darn big so you'd have a lot of room to move around, unlike New Jersey.