The History of 917

As New York City’s oldest mobile area code, the 917 area code has had to compete with the 212 area code and a few others for its status as one of the most coveted and sought-after area codes in New York City. The 212 area code was originally used for all of New York City’s boroughs, but beginning in the 1980s, the North American Numbering Plan had to split the boroughs into two groups. Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island received the 718 area code while a 212 number was reserved only for Manhattan and The Bronx. It wasn’t until 1992 when the 917 area code was introduced as the go-to for all mobile phones and pagers throughout the city.

All other previous numbers used for mobile phones and pagers were switched over to the 917 area code to free up other numbers for landlines. And, while the FCC eventually ruled against providers restricting certain area codes to particular services, 917 numbers had already grown to become popular as a symbol of New York City, especially in the days when mobile phones were just becoming popular and widely-used to indicate status.