It looks like you don't get so-called "overlay" area codes in SASHELP.ZIPCODE, since there is only one AREACODE field.

For those of you not fortunate enough to have experienced them, "overlay" area codes are one way of dealing with phone number proliferation, when a current area code is running out of numbers. In the past, they dealt with this by splitting off a geographic subarea and assigning this area a new code. While they probably still do that in some instances, another technique that is used now is "overlay" area codes, where the area is not subdivided, but a second area code is assigned to the entire area, and then is available for new phone numbers in that area. (A byproduct of this, which many of us have now learned to live with, is that we must dial the area code for ALL calls, even local ones.)

For instance, here in Rockville MD, our "original" area code was 301. A few years ago, however, they assigned a second code, 240, to the same geographic subarea in Maryland. So, you could have a number with a 301 code, and your neighbor could have a 240 code. At Westat, where each of us has his/her own direct-dial number (thus contributing to the overall number shortage), some of us have 301 area codes and some have 240.

When I looked in SASHELP.ZIPCODE for our zip, 20850, the record contained the original 301 area code. I couldn't find any records in the file with the "overlay" 240 code.

Mike Rhoads Westat RhoadsM1@Westat.com

-----Original Message----- From: owner-sas-l@listserv.uga.edu [mailto:owner-sas-l@listserv.uga.edu] On Behalf Of Michael S. Zdeb Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 1:09 PM To: Chuck Enright Cc: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: US Telephone Area Code

Hi. In case you really don't need a URL and if you have V9.1.3 of SAS, the area codes are in the SASHELP.ZIPCODE data set...

data phone; set sashelp.zipcode; state_name = fipname(state); keep state_name city areacode; run;

proc sort data=phone nodupkey; by state_name areacode; run;

proc print data=phone; by state_name; run;

partial...

state_name=ALABAMA Obs CITY AREACODE 1 Moody 205 2 Evergreen 251 3 Alexander City 256 4 Autaugaville 334

state_name=ALASKA Obs CITY AREACODE 5 Anchorage 907

state_name=ARIZONA Obs CITY AREACODE 6 Phoenix 480 7 Bapchule 520 8 Phoenix 602 9 Phoenix 623 10 Hayden 928

Mike Zdeb U@Albany School of Public Health 1 University Drive Rensselaer, NY 12144-3456 (P)518-402-6479 (F)630-604-1475

|---------+----------------------------> | | Chuck Enright | | | <chuck.sas@GMAIL.| | | COM> | | | Sent by: "SAS(r) | | | Discussion" | | | <SAS-L@LISTSERV.U| | | GA.EDU> | | | | | | | | | 07/13/2005 12:26 | | | PM | | | Please respond to| | | Chuck Enright | |---------+---------------------------->

>----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------| | | | To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU | | cc: | | Subject: US Telephone Area Code |

>----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------|

Looking for a current US telephone area code listing available through a url filename statement.

TIA Chuck