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A split -- all numbers within a certain geographical area change area codes

15 (29.4%)

An overlay -- existing numbers keep the same area code but new numbers get the new area code

25 (49%)

Matters not to me

11 (21.6%)

Total Members Voted: 51

[kphoger]

There is a "do not disturb" mode available in most phones today

Yes, but I still want important calls to come through.  AFAIK, my phone doesn't do that for only specific numbers.

[Bruce]

My carrier screens out scam calls (though most are from the same area code), and my phone (a Pixel) is able to use advanced screening that transcribes the first few lines of a phone call. I can choose to answer it or block without having to listen to anything.

[Road Hog]

Call blocking has been a godsend. I set it to where it doesn't ring if they're not on my saved list. The 1% of the time they're not, I'll call them back and add them if they leave a voicemail. I get stupid spam.

[hbelkins]

On both my phones -- my personal cell and my work cell -- I have a policy of "if I don't recognize the number, I don't answer the call."

For my personal phone, I went one step farther. I downloaded a silence ringtone that is my default. Anyone in my contacts has an assigned ringtone -- for my wife, it's "I Was Made For Lovin' You" by Kiss and for my mother-in-law it's "Tie Your Mother Down" by Queen, for example -- so I hear those calls. All others are silent; if I happen to be looking at the phone and recognize the number, I'll answer. Otherwise, I don't even know anyone is calling. For both phones, if it's important, they'll leave a message for me to call back. If they don't leave a message, then it wasn't important to begin with, and that number typically gets blocked so it'll never call me again.

[kphoger]

I'd rather (a) answer the phone, wait for the 'bloop' sound during handoff from robocall machine to actual phone, then hang up.  I'd rather not (b) ignore the call, then get a voicemail notification, then dial my voicemail, and go through the prompts to delete the message.

[GaryV]

I'd rather (a) answer the phone, wait for the 'bloop' sound during handoff from robocall machine to actual phone,

I don't know why my wife does what she does. Answer Hello. Wait, because no response. Answer again. Wait again - and get connected to a telemarketer. She often takes calls from some unknown (local) numbers because of her work. But they would start talking as soon as she says Hello if it was a legit call.

If I answer a call from an unknown number and they don't respond immediately, I just hang up.

[1]

I get so few spam calls right now that I would say about 30% of unknown calls are legitimate (including wrong numbers). I will answer it if it's an area code I recognize or the digits are low enough (total 20 or less, middle digit 0 or 1) that it existed in the 1947 plan and therefore definitely isn't a premium area code, unless I'm in the middle of a burst of spam calls (which has happened a few times and only lasts a few days each time).

[SP Cook]

Most spam calls I get today are from small towns in my state.  I know no one in this state outside of the region I live in, so they are obviously spam.  I will answer if I'm not busy, because the only way to punish these people is to waste their time.  Based on accents, these people are obviously not Appalachian, most are clearly not Americans at all.   Usually claim to be from the "expired account department" and claim I have unused travel credits they can "reactivate" for a fee.  AKA they are scammers selling over-priced travel. 

Also get a lot of calls from the nation's largest civil rights organization, which I am a Life Member, but my one gripe with them is that they won't stop asking for money even though I'm a Life Member, and they sell their mailing lists to outfits of dubious merit (survival food, gold coin dealers, second passport agents, land in Alaska, etc.).  Always from 202 and recently from its 771 overlay. 

[kphoger]

I don't know why my wife does what she does. Answer Hello. Wait, because no response. Answer again. Wait again - and get connected to a telemarketer. She often takes calls from some unknown (local) numbers because of her work. But they would start talking as soon as she says Hello if it was a legit call.

If I answer a call from an unknown number and they don't respond immediately, I just hang up.

We do have an entire thread about this, but...

I used to mess with the callers.  But then that only increased the number of scam callers, so I eventually got tired of it and stopped doing that.  Now I just press the green button and sit in silence.  (A real caller will say Hello? at that point.)  But a couple of days ago, on my way home from work, I got a scam call.  I was by myself, and it had been awhile since I'd had some fun with a scam caller.  So, when that Indian-accented voice came on the line, I just screamed as loud as I could.  It felt good.

[hbelkins]

I'd rather (a) answer the phone, wait for the 'bloop' sound during handoff from robocall machine to actual phone, then hang up.  I'd rather not (b) ignore the call, then get a voicemail notification, then dial my voicemail, and go through the prompts to delete the message.

That's the beauty of an iPhone. One swipe, and the voicemail is deleted.

[bing101]

https://www.fox29.com/news/phone-call-area-codes-scammers-use-most
.https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2021/top-area-codes-for-robocalls.html

https://www.rd.com/article/area-codes-phone-scam/

Note studies may vary on when the data was recorded and is subject to be updated.

[epzik8]

Overlays seem to be the trend that's here to stay.

[SD Mapman]

As much as people get an identity from their area code, that identity has become increasingly irrelevant.

In my experience, that isn't really a thing for most people these days.

Have you been to Wyoming lately? They sell 307 merchandise (think there's a hot sauce, among other things). Here in SD June 5th is "South Dakota Day" by order of the tourism department, wouldn't be surprised if a governor makes it an official state holiday like Pioneer Day in Utah. I can't confirm how attached ND is to 701 or MT is to 402.

[Big John]

^^ Bad link and why would it have John Madden's name in it?

[Ted$8roadFan]

^^ Bad link and why would it have John Madden's name in it?

Not sure why it did that. The point was that four of the six New England states still have just one area code, and it will be a big deal when a new one is added. Maine extended their (beloved) area code as the sole one until the end of 2025.

[1]

^^ Bad link and why would it have John Madden's name in it?

Not sure why it did that. The point was that four of the six New England states still have just one area code, and it will be a big deal when a new one is added. Maine extended their (beloved) area code as the sole one until the end of 2025.

While I'm not seeing the link, it looks like the anti-Poiponen13 filter had a false positive.

[Ted$8roadFan]

^^ Bad link and why would it have John Madden's name in it?

Not sure why it did that. The point was that four of the six New England states still have just one area code, and it will be a big deal when a new one is added. Maine extended their (beloved) area code as the sole one until the end of 2025.

While I'm not seeing the link, it looks like the anti-Poiponen13 filter had a false positive.

Took out the link because it kept popping up an error. Could have been a filter.

[Bruce]

I'd rather (a) answer the phone, wait for the 'bloop' sound during handoff from robocall machine to actual phone, then hang up.  I'd rather not (b) ignore the call, then get a voicemail notification, then dial my voicemail, and go through the prompts to delete the message.

That's the beauty of an iPhone. One swipe, and the voicemail is deleted.

Or really any modern smartphone. Most come with visual voicemail and some level of transcription, plus easy deletion.

[LilianaUwU]

We've had a discussion about area codes for this long without a reference to The Simpsons?

[kphoger]

As much as people get an identity from their area code, that identity has become increasingly irrelevant.

In my experience, that isn't really a thing for most people these days.

Have you been to Wyoming lately? They sell 307 merchandise (think there's a hot sauce, among other things). Here in SD June 5th is "South Dakota Day" by order of the tourism department, wouldn't be surprised if a governor makes it an official state holiday like Pioneer Day in Utah. I can't confirm how attached ND is to 701 or MT is to 402.

Pertinent phrase bolded.

No, I've never actually been to Wyoming, believe it or not.  Nor have I been to North Dakota or Montana.  (Wow, I need to travel to that part of the country sometime!)  But those three states combined are home to less than three-fourths of one percent of the US population, so I still feel fairly comfortable with the observation I made.

[Dirt Roads]

As much as people get an identity from their area code, that identity has become increasingly irrelevant.

In my experience, that isn't really a thing for most people these days.

Have you been to Wyoming lately? They sell 307 merchandise (think there's a hot sauce, among other things). Here in SD June 5th is "South Dakota Day" by order of the tourism department, wouldn't be surprised if a governor makes it an official state holiday like Pioneer Day in Utah. I can't confirm how attached ND is to 701 or MT is to 402.

No, I've never actually been to Wyoming, believe it or not.  Nor have I been to North Dakota or Montana.  (Wow, I need to travel to that part of the country sometime!)  But those three states combined are home to less than three-fourths of one percent of the US population, so I still feel fairly comfortable with the observation I made.

West Virginia did the overlay thing because of the Mountain State's affinity for "The Three-Oh-Four".  That doesn't make much difference either, but how about the Space Coast's affinity for "Three-Two-One [Blastoff]" or even better, Virginia Beach and the "The 757" (which doesn't seem to be such a big thing in Norfolk, by the way).

[rlb2024]

If the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars were to switch divisions, the NFC South could then be called the 04 Division -- Atlanta (area code 404), New Orleans (504), Carolina (Charlotte, 704), and Jacksonville (904) . . .

[kalvado]

As much as people get an identity from their area code, that identity has become increasingly irrelevant.

In my experience, that isn't really a thing for most people these days.

Have you been to Wyoming lately? They sell 307 merchandise (think there's a hot sauce, among other things). Here in SD June 5th is "South Dakota Day" by order of the tourism department, wouldn't be surprised if a governor makes it an official state holiday like Pioneer Day in Utah. I can't confirm how attached ND is to 701 or MT is to 402.

No, I've never actually been to Wyoming, believe it or not.  Nor have I been to North Dakota or Montana.  (Wow, I need to travel to that part of the country sometime!)  But those three states combined are home to less than three-fourths of one percent of the US population, so I still feel fairly comfortable with the observation I made.

West Virginia did the overlay thing because of the Mountain State's affinity for "The Three-Oh-Four".  That doesn't make much difference either, but how about the Space Coast's affinity for "Three-Two-One [Blastoff]" or even better, Virginia Beach and the "The 757" (which doesn't seem to be such a big thing in Norfolk, by the way).

I assume the best approach is to let such identity dilute over time. It is already  happening in some places.
Overlay is probably the best way to deal with that. Those who has THE number get to keep it, and for newcomers it has to be  a smaller deal. Kids who grew in the area getting their first number may be the most affected.
Charging a bit for  THE number may be a good way for phone companies to make some money, if that is legal. To some extent this is similar to vanity license plates - those who want can pay a bit more, but things work  for everyone else as well. 

[kphoger]

I assume the best approach is to let such identity dilute over time. It is already  happening in some places.
Overlay is probably the best way to deal with that. Those who has THE number get to keep it, and for newcomers it has to be  a smaller deal.

But it isn't just newcomers who get the new area code, as has already been pointed out.  Anybody who gets a new number might get the new area code—someone with a landline phone who moves across town into a different rate center, a family who gets an additional cell phone, someone who switches cable companies and opts for the bundle that includes home phone, etc, etc.

[kalvado]

I assume the best approach is to let such identity dilute over time. It is already  happening in some places.
Overlay is probably the best way to deal with that. Those who has THE number get to keep it, and for newcomers it has to be  a smaller deal.

But it isn't just newcomers who get the new area code, as has already been pointed out.  Anybody who gets a new number might get the new area code—someone with a landline phone who moves across town into a different rate center, a family who gets an additional cell phone, someone who switches cable companies and opts for the bundle that includes home phone, etc, etc.

Sure, that's pretty much what I said.  Old number can be kept to cell line in many cases, but new numbers would be new. That will eventually dilute area code identity without too much drama - or what else can you do? Collecting crumbs of non-assigned numbers across the area is only that efficient. So spreading out impact over time is the best bet IMHO.