The History of 647

The first Canadian dial exchange appeared in East Toronto in 1924. When direct distance dialing first appeared after the 1950s, the main area code was actually 416. It’s why you’ll notice people referring to Toronto as “The 6.”

However, since the 1950s, the 416 area code has actually been split twice; it wasn’t until 2001 that the 647 area code appeared.

This first overlay code madeten-digit dialing mandatory in Canada due to the surge in phone numbers needed after the introduction of mobile phones and pagers. Essentially, the North American Numbering Plan (NPA) designated that the 416 and 347 encompass the same area — like the middle of a Venn diagram. 

Today, the 416 area code retains quite a bit of geographic and pop culture significance in many ways similar to the 212 area code in New York. However, the 647 area code is used mostly for prominent, newer businesses, newer residents, and mobile phone numbers in Toronto. Interestingly, despite the popularity of the 647 area code, it’s less than 70% assigned even though it’s been in use for nearly two decades. 

While there are still plenty of open numbers remaining, The city of Toronto went ahead and put the 437 area code into service on March 25, 2013. It also bookmarked the 387 area code to be put into use whenever the 437 area code list is exhausted.

Seeing as how the population of Torontohas been increasing by about 1% each year, there's no telling how soon before the 387 area code is activated. Today, Toronto is a growing city — currently the fifth-largest city in North America. It trails behind Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Mexico City (in no particular order). 

How Do You Get a 647 Area Code?

It isn’t particularly difficult to get a specific area code, and that includes 647. You have several potential solutions to the problem. The only thing is that most of them come with undesirable consequences. There is one method that doesn’t include any unwanted side effects, but you’ll need to read on to find out which one. 

Request a New Phone Number 

A countless number of people will change their phone numbers this year. It’s so common that most phone service providers don’t even ask why or charge a fee to do it. All that you’ll need to do is call them, make a formal request for a 647 area code, and they’ll give you an open one. 

It sure sounds like an easy path to your goal, but it’s not that simple. You see, you’ll have to give up your current phone number. Permanently. You can’t use a 647 area code for a day or two and go back to your old number.

You’ll need to give up your current number. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. That means updating all of your online accounts with your new phone number. 

As if that weren’t bad enough, there’s a chance that you might not even succeed. There are surely more open 647 numbers than, say, 212 numbers in New York City. However, the 437 area code was put into service for a reason. It’s way more feasible that your phone service provider has an open 437 number than a 647 one.

Activate a New Phone While You’re in Toronto

Area codes were a lot easier to understand in the old days. An area code would be assigned based on the address of the physical location where the landline was being used. Seeing as how cell phones are designed to be mobile, that’s no longer a viable option. Instead, the area code for cell phones is based on where the phone is bought and activated. 

Basically, purchasing a phone in Toronto and setting it up while you’re there could potentially land you a 647 area code. You’ve probably already started thinking about the potential for trouble in this elaborate plan.

The most obvious one is that you’ll be spending money. A lot of it. Traveling to Toronto isn’t going to be free. Especially if you live far away and in another country (the United States, perhaps?). The travel costs are merely the tip of the iceberg as you’ll also need to buy a new phone.

You would truly be surprised how expensive a “cheap” phone is these days. Lastly, you’ll need to think about how much more your monthly phone bill will be. You can expect it to at least double, but it could be even more than that. 

Once again, you might be doing all of this and still not get a 647 number. The odds will be even less likely than the previous method as the number will automatically be assigned. Since 437 is the newer area code, it is much more likely that your new cell phone will receive it instead of 647.

Even if you do get a 647 number, the reward is carrying around another phone at all times. Two phones mean twice the pocket space, twice the charging reminders/twice the battery dying, and twice the phone calls. If that doesn’t sound inconvenient to you, then what does?

Install the Burner App

You’ve probably at least aware of “burner” phones if you’ve never personally owned one. If you haven’t, then it’s pretty easy to understand. A “burner” is a bargain-priced, expendable phone that you use for a little while and throw away (“burn”) whenever you’re done with it. Seeing as how that’s incredibly wasteful, the practice has fallen by the wayside in society. Today, you can simply “burn” the phone number you’re using instead of throwing out a perfectly good cell phone. 

Whenever you download Burner, you’ll be given the opportunity to select a specific area code. Simply enter “647” into the prompt, and an archive of ten seven-digit numbers will appear using the code. Click the one that you want: That number will be yours until you “burn” it or delete your account. That’s all that it takes to get a 647 number with Burner. 

Whenever someone calls or messages your 647 number, it gets rerouted through Burner. After that, it will be transferred to your phone via the app. It's just like having two different phones in one.

You won’t have to travel (potentially internationally) to Toronto and buy a new phone. You won’t have to yield your current phone number, never to see it again. All that you have to do is download the Burner app and create an account. It’s just that easy. 

In Summary

Surely you can agree by now that Burner is the best way to get a 647 area code. It’s the only way that 100% guarantees a 647 number, and it doesn’t include any annoying consequences. You won’t have to spend a crazy amount of money on traveling to outwit the overlays and buying phones (Burner costs less than $10 a month).

You won’t have to give up your current phone number for good (Burner is entirely separate from your phone service). All that you’ll need to do is download the app and create an account. It’s just that simple.

After you download Burner, you’ll need to enter the area code of your choice. Enter “647” where it’s appropriate, and you’ll have a list of telephone numbers to choose from in a few seconds. You’ll have the option to get a new 647 number whenever you want or a number from an entirely different area code.

Add as many lines as you want to, and feel free to cancel your service at any time. Good luck finding another option that can beat that level of freedom!

Check out Burner if you want to learn more about second numbers. You can start your free seven-day trial and decide for yourself if it’s the right fit for you. You’d have to be as thick as a hockey puck to think that you could find a better option than Burner.

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Sources:

Toronto, Canada Metro Area Population 1950-2022 | MacroTrends

CONFIRMED: Toronto Gets Two New Area Codes—416 and 647, Meet 437 and 387 | Toronto Life

647 Area Code | All Area Codes

Historical Timeline of Canadian Telecommunications Achievements | International Telecommunication Union