The History of the 323 California Area Code

Area code 323 was introduced by the North American Numbering Plan in 1998 as an addition to the state's original area code, 213. The state of California added this number to support the constantly-growing Los Angeles population. 

With this split, area code 323 became the primary area code for most of Los Angeles County, leaving area code 213 to cover just Downtown Los Angeles and its immediately adjoining neighborhoods, such as Chinatown. As more than 2 million people migrated to the Los Angeles area in the 2010s, the 323 area code was quickly eaten up and set to run out by 2017. 

However, since the original 213 was initially reduced to cover such a small portion of the county, it eventually became an overlay for the 323 area code. Today, Los Angelenos still have the option to acquire a 323 area code or 213 area code — for now. 

The largest city in California keeps growing. So, unless 323 is your local number, you’ll need to know an alternative method of getting a number with this code.

How Do You Get a 323 Area Code?

Getting a specific area isn’t the hardest things in the world. There are actually a few different ways for you to do it. 

The problem is that most of the methods come with some significant downsides. Fortunately, there is one method that's free of these annoyances. You'll need to read a tad further to learn more about it.

Request a 323 Area Code 

It's relatively standard for people to want to change their phone numbers every now and then. 

There are many good reasons, so most carriers don't even ask for a reason. The majority of them will even change your number free of charge. All that you have to do is contact them, make an official request for a 323 area code, and they'll randomly assign you an available number.

It sounds simple enough, but there's a little more to it. You see, you'll have to surrender your current phone number — permanently. 

You can't change your phone number for a few days and switch back. Once you've given it up, it's gone forever. You'll need to update your online profiles to address the change to your number. 

That's even assuming that there is a 323 number available. The population of Los Angeles is constantly shifting, with people leaving (taking their 323 numbers with them) and people coming in (attempting to get a 323 number). At best, the odds of finding an open 323 area code are essentially non-existent. 

Purchase and Set Up a Brand New Phone in Los Angeles

You probably already know how area codes are assigned to landlines. 

The physical address of the location will dictate which area code it receives. For cell phones, it's a tad more tricky as their entire purpose is to be mobile. Instead of a physical location, cell phone area codes are assigned based on where you buy the phone and activate it.

That means buying a phone in Los Angeles and setting it up while there will give you a chance at getting a 323 area code. You've probably already spotted some glaring issues with this plan.

For starters, you're going to be spending quite a lot of money on this method. Traveling to Los Angeles is very far from being free. 

The further away you live, the more money it will cost. That's not even taking into consideration the cost of the phone. Factor in the increased costs to your phone bill, and you're looking at some huge expenses. “Cheap” phones are somewhat a mirage — “cheap” isn’t accurate, to be honest.

Of course, your chances of getting a 323 area code aren't even less likely than the previous option. The area code that you get will be assigned at random. Seeing how 323 has been around since 1998, what do you think the odds are that one is free and will be at the top of the list? You'll be spending a bunch of money on a big-time gamble.

Even if you were to get a 323 number, now you've got to juggle two phones! Think about that for a minute. That's one phone in each pants pocket. Two phones need to be charged every night. Two different devices where people can contact you at all times. To say it will be an inconvenience would be quite an understatement. 

Use Burner

“Burner” phones used to be fairly common. If you haven’t owned one, then you’re probably at least familiar with their purpose.

The concept is that a burner phone is low-cost and expendable. You use it for a little while and "burn" it (throw it away) whenever you're done with it. The idea of a burner phone changed as technology evolved. In the modern day, it would be ridiculous to throw away an entire cell phone. Instead, you merely "burn" the phone number (metahphorically — no physical trash here). 

The first thing that you have to do after downloading the Burner app is select a specific area code. Just enter "323" into the prompt, and you'll receive a menu of ten numbers in a few seconds. Pick the one you want, which will be your number until you decide to "burn" it or delete your Burner account. 

Whenever someone calls or texts your 323 number, it will first be rerouted through Burner. After being screened, it will be transferred to the app on your phone. In other words, you'll have access to two different phone numbers with just a single phone. 

You don't have to travel to Los Angeles, add a new phone to your service plan, or permanently lose your current number. You get all of the benefits of a 323 number with no downsides. 

Why Use Burner?

Burner is the best option for getting a 323 area code. If you're still unsure about that, you'll probably change your mind when you hear about the other benefits of using Burner.

Earlier, we briefly mentioned some of the negative consequences of using your personal phone for business purposes. These are a few ways that Burner can help to eliminate said unpleasant effects.

Let’s start with data privacy:

Data Privacy

The amount of damage that hackers can do with just your phone number is pretty scary. You should protect your phone number even if you don't create a Burner account. 

By using Burner, you'll be able to establish an additional layer of security around your personal information. The 323 number you choose isn't going to be linked to anything sensitive, including your phone number. 

Keep in mind that the entire purpose of these numbers is to be disposable. A con artist can try all they want to invade your privacy, but Burner won't let them have an inch. If you start getting flooded with spam calls, "burn" your 323 number and get another one.

Separate Work and Home Life 

The balance between work and home life has been steadily shifting in favor of work over the years. Using your personal cell phone to conduct official business only adds more weight to the work side of the scale. 

Fortunately, Burner offers a few features that can help shift time to home life. Nights, weekends, and early mornings don’t have to be sacrificed for work anymore!

Burner allows you to create work hours when calls and texts will be transferred. You'll also be able to set up autoresponders when someone tries to contact you that will tell them when you're available. The "Do Not Disturb" can easily be enabled anytime you need a few minutes or hours to yourself. Disable it, and everything will be transferred again as before. 

What To Do Next For a 323 Area Code

Burner is the best method for getting a 323 area code. It's the only option that guarantees a 323 number and, more importantly, doesn't come with a barrage of annoyances. 

You don't have to spend a small fortune on travel and new phones (Burner is less than $10 a month). You don't have to permanently sacrifice your number (nothing about your current phone situation will change). All you have to do is download Burner and create an account.

The first step after downloading Burner is to select the area code of your choice. Simply enter "323" into the prompt, and you'll have a list to choose from in a few seconds. You can get a new 323 number at any time or get a number from an entirely different area code. 

You can also add in as many lines as you'd like and cancel service anytime. There's no other option listed above that can beat that!

Start your free seven-day trial to experience the benefits for yourself. 

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Sources:

California's Population | Public Policy Institute of California

323 Area Code | All Area Codes

I Asked 21 People for the Best Things About Living in Los Angeles — Here's What They Said | Business Insider

213 and 323 Area Codes | Public Utilities Commission