The History of 415

The 415 area code was one of the first of three area codes established in California, debuting in 1947 and originally covering central California, from Sacramento to Bakersfield. A little more than a decade later, the area code stretched north to Oregon via the North Coast and was shortened from Sacramento south. 

By 1953, 415 was the official area code of the entire Bay Area. However, as the Bay Area population grew, the 415 area code was forced to sector off into smaller regions and divide into several area codes.

It split off once in 1959 to cover San Jose and the South Bay to area code 408 and again in 1991 to cover the East Bay to area code 510. Lastly, in 1997 it split to create a division between San Francisco and San Mateo County to area code 650. Area code 510 includes Oakland, CA, and 650 includes Daly City. 

In 2015, San Francisco remained one of the largest cities where seven-digit dialing was the norm, and the need for even more numbers arose, so area code 628 was brought into overlay 415.

The North American Numbering Plan impacted area codes from Los Angeles to New York City and everywhere in between. So, if you’re on the hunt for a specific prefix, you might need some help.

Negotiating around the area code map can be tricky, especially in the expansive state of California. With so many California area codes available, keep reading to learn how to grab any major city’s code you want. 

Where Can You Get a 415 Area Code?

Nabbing that 415 area code is much easier than you might have been led to believe. In fact, you actually have several different paths to your dream number. The only problem is that most of them will come with a few annoying inconveniences.

Luckily, you do have one route that’s free of these inconveniences. Whether you’re in the Pacific Time Zone or not, you can get the area code you want as easily as it is to look up “how to get a new area code number.”

Here’s how:

Request a New Phone Number

It’s common for people to want to switch phone numbers. There are so many valid reasons for doing it that you probably wouldn’t even be asked to explain.

All that you’ll have to do is ring up your phone service provider, make a formal request for a 415 number, and they’ll assign you an open one. In most cases, you won’t even be charged for this service.

While that might sound easy enough, there is one crucial thing that you should know. You’ll lose access to your current phone number — forever — by choosing this method. As soon as you change numbers, it’s going to be lost for good. That means telling everyone on your phone, in your life, your credit card company, all your doctors, etcetera, etcetera, that you have a new number.

Another problem is that you probably won’t even get a 415 number this way. Remember that the 628 area code was created in 2015 as an overlay to 415. It’s way more likely that you’ll have to settle for a 628 number instead.

After all, 415 has been around since the late 1940s. How many numbers do you think would be free for an area code that’s over 75 years old? 

Visit San Francisco

You probably already know how landlines get their area codes. They’re assigned based on the physical location of the service. Whatever service area the address falls under is the area code that’s assigned.

Cell phones are specifically created to be mobile, which adds a tiny wrinkle to the system. Instead of a physical address, cell phone area codes are assigned based on where the phone is purchased and activated. 

So buying a new phone in San Francisco and setting it up while you’re there could potentially give you a 415 area code. You can probably already see some of the major flaws with this method.

The most glaring issue is that you’ll have to spend a bunch of money. Traveling to San Francisco can be super expensive, depending on how far away you live. Once you get there, you’ll have to buy a new phone.

Even the “cheap” or “affordable” phones are pretty pricey these days. After you factor in the increase to your monthly bill, you’ll likely be looking at a few hundred dollars minimum: Just for a chance at a 415 area code.

The key word in that sentence was “chance” because it’s far from a guarantee that that strategy will even work. Your new phone will be randomly assigned an area code. The odds weren’t too great in the last section, and they’re even worse in this one. You’re way more likely to end up with a 628 number instead.

Of course, succeeding in your plan would mean having another phone to carry around all day. A phone in each pants pocket. Two chargers by your bed. Twice the phone calls to disrupt your day. Saying that this scenario would be inconvenient is quite an understatement!

Create a Burner Account

Chances are that you’ve at least heard about a “burner” phone before. If not, the concept is pretty simple. You buy a low-cost, expendable phone to use for a little while, and when you’re done, you “burn” it or throw it away. The practice has fallen out of favor as it’s incredibly wasteful.

In the modern age, you would “burn” the phone number instead of tossing away a perfectly functioning cell phone. 

Once you download Burner, you’ll be prompted to select a specific area code. Simply enter “415” into the designated spot. Then, you’ll be presented with an archive of ten available numbers. Pick the one that you want, and it will be yours until you “burn” it for a new one or cancel the service. That’s all that you have to do. It literally doesn’t (or cannot) get any easier than that.

Anytime someone calls or messages your 415 number, it has to be rerouted through Burner before it gets transferred to your phone. It’s like having two phones in one. You don’t have to travel to the Bay Area to buy a phone.

You don’t have to make any permanent changes to your phone service. Just download Burner, enter “415,” pick the number you want and finish creating your account. That’s it.

What To Do Next For a 415 Area Code

It’s safe to assume that you would agree by now that using Burner is the best way to get a 415 area code. No other option will give you a 100% chance of success. You also don’t have to deal with any annoying side effects either. You won’t need to spend an absurd amount of money (Burner is less than $10 monthly). 

Plus, you won’t need to make permanent changes (Burner is separate from your primary phone service). All that you’ll need to do is create a Burner account. It’s just that simple!

Once you download the app, you’ll be asked to select a specific area code. Enter “415” into the prompt: Your list of choices will be available in a few seconds. You can get another 415 number whenever you want.

Or, you can get a number from a completely different area code altogether. You’ll also have the ability to add as many lines with as many area codes as you need or cancel your service at any time. You can search for a very long time, but you won’t find a better offer than that!

Scroll through the Burner website to learn more about how it works. You can start your free seven-day trial and experience the benefits for yourself. Burner might not be as instantly recognizable as the Golden Gate Bridge, but it’s equally as good at connecting people from different areas!

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SOURCES

New 628 Area Code Approved for San Francisco | ABC 7 News

415/628 Area Code | California Public Utilities Commission

What is San Francisco Famous For? | Go City

415 Area Code | All Area Codes