New phone customers in Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys will get a 645 area code starting Aug. 4, the state Public Service Commission announced Friday.
The new area code, what is known in the telecommunications industry as an “overlay,” will be assigned in the same territory as the 305 and 786 area codes that cover Miami-Dade County and the Keys.
Commission Chairman Andrew Fay said in a prepared statement the new code ensures customer demand for new lines is met.
“While minimizing the impact to current customers, the commission must plan for the continuing influx of new residents and businesses to the region — a testament to South Florida’s growing economy,” Fay said in the release.
The commission approved the new area code on Feb. 1. Current customers will keep their numbers.
The change won’t alter the requirement that people dial the area code plus the seven-digit phone number for a local call.
The commission in recent years also has approved new area codes in other parts of the state, as increasing populations and additions of cell phones and other technology have led to numbers running out in existing area codes.
