New regional area code for 2014

They’re running out of phone numbers to the north.

Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority  said a new area code will be introduced later this year in the calling region currently served by the 860 area code.

Because of continuing local demand for telephone numbers, remaining unassigned telephone numbers in the 860 area code are expected to be exhausted by the end of 2014.

The new area code, 959, is to be assigned as an overlay to the 860 region to meet the demand.

An overlay is the addition of an area code, in this case 959, to the same geographic region as an existing area code (860). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, personal telephone numbers or the manner in which they dial local calls.

Work began last year on the new 959 area code. Plans call for it to go into effect August 30. After that date, customers requesting new service, an additional line or, in some cases, moving their service, may be assigned a number in the new 959 area code. Existing numbers won’t change and the cost of local calls within the overlay will remain the same.