There is something looming on the horizon for Northeast Ohio, and it's not just the total solar eclipse.
No, this is a more permanent change to the region: The introduction of the new 436 area code.
Why Is Northeast Ohio Getting a New Area Code?
Long story short, the region is running out of 440 area code numbers and will completely exhaust its options sometime in the third quarter of 2024. According to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the new 436 numbers will overlap with the existing 440 territory, which will affect a wide variety of communities on both the east, west, and south sides of Cleveland. This includes Lake, Lorain, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, along with parts of Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron and Trumbull counties.
The 436 area code is set to debut for all new numbers in March.
Ohio is no stranger to recent area code updates. The 283 area code was just implemented in Cincinnati in March 2023. And going back to 2000, the 234 area code was introduced to the 330 territory. And out in the Toledo area, the 419 area code has been supplanted by 567; both 419 and 330 are considered fully exhausted by this point.
Even Columbus has 380 as an area code now. Time comes for us all.
What About My 440 Area Code Number?
Lucky for you existing customer, you get to keep your precious 440 area code number. However, all callers throughout the region will need to use ten-digit dialing, meaning you must now call someone in your area code using the first three numbers.