Some Growth

A recent notice concerning area codes: When I was a kid, all of NYC was area code 212. In 1984, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island were moved to the new 718 area code because 212 was running out of numbers. In 1992, the Bronx was also moved to 718. In 1992, 917 was assigned as an overlay for the whole city. In 1999, 646 was added as an overlay in the Manhattan. In 2011, 347 and 929 were added as overlays in the outer boroughs. And, per above, we now have 465 being added to the outer boroughs. A seven-digit number allows for a little under ten million usable phone numbers. With every member of every family having a cell phone, and businesses using VOIP systems that assign a separate number to each extension, the rise in demand is inevitable, even with the numbers given back by the death of faxing. Anyway, here’s what things looked like in 1879: Keep in mind, this map only shows buried cables, and until the Blizzard of 1888, most cables were in the air, on poles. Despite the legend…