For more than seven decades, (202) has been D.C.’s sole area code. But by the end of 2022, the city will have a new one: (771).

This month regulators started the 13-month process to implement the new (771) area code, a step that reflects the reality that the longstanding (202) area code — first unveiled in 1947 as one of the country’s 86 original area codes — is running out of of available phone numbers.

Each area code can produce roughly eight million seven-digit phone numbers, and the North American Numbering Plan Administrator — the official regulator of area codes in the U.S., Canada and some Caribbean countries — says (202) is expected to run out of numbers within two years. In fact, the number of (202) phone numbers remaining declined at such a rapid pace this year that in August NANPA formally declared it was in “jeopardy,” kicking off a series of steps to slow its march towards extinction — including rationing numbers.

The new area code will be known as an “overlay,” applying to every new phone number across the city. Overlays have been used in Maryland with (301) and (240) and in Virginia with (703) and (571). For most owners of a (202) number, life will go on as usual — especially in this era of one-touch dialing. But for many, it will mean transitioning from seven- to 10-digit-dialing; no more skipping the area code when calling a family member in the neighborhood.

In many ways, the introduction of a new area code for D.C. will have more symbolic than practical impact. The original (202) area code has been celebrated as a badge of honor or cultural identifier; no matter where you are in the country, just throwing out those three numbers can serve as a conversation starter or shorthand way of outing yourself to other D.C. expats.

“You know, everybody loves (202),” said Willie L. Phillips, chairman of the D.C. Public Service Commission, at a hearing earlier this month to formally request that NANPA start the process for a new area code. “I think that there’s a lot of pride in the District of Columbia built up around our area code. You can see people wearing T-shirts that just say (202), and you know they represent the District of Columbia. So this is a big decision.”

But it’s also a decision left out of local hands, which could make the new area code seem even more alien to many residents.

“NANPA picks the relief area code,” says Beth Sprague, NANPA’s director. “We are required to reserve relief area codes for all area codes forecasted to exhaust within the next 10 years.”

That’s not to say there weren’t creative attempts to pick a new D.C. area code. At the hearing of the Public Service Commission — which also regulates electric, gas and phone rates — a handful of residents came prepared with their own suggestions.

“My suggestion for the new area code is (282). This takes advantage of the positions of 8 and zero on most telephones for ease of dialing,” offered D.C. resident Jeff Rueckgauer.

“I vote for (495) as the new area code for D.C.,” proposed Roger Attkisson. “Since the Capitol Beltway is I-495, it would be regional unique [and] special recognition of the D.C. Metro area.”

Carl Mason had a more personal offering: (852).

“It would be in honor of one of my friends, those were his initials. And he was a native Washingtonian. He loved his city. He represented this city more than anybody I know,” said Mason. “And also, it’s an area code that represents TLC [tender loving care]. And that’s something that the city can use, you know, in the current state that the world is in and how the city is affected by all of the craziness that’s going on.”

There was one voice of dissent during the commission’s hearing, though. N. Albert, president of the Anti-Digit Dialing League (official slogan: “Opposing Creeping Numeralism Since 1962”), advocated for splitting the city: the downtown and federal areas would retain (202), while the rest of the city would get a new area code. His logic? It would allow most residents to retain seven-digit dialing.

“A transition away from seven-digit dialing is a very serious and irreversible decision with significant consequences. Unsurprisingly, public sentiment is largely against 10-digit dialing, which is inconvenient and burdensome,” he wrote in a letter to the commission. “Requiring that one’s own area code be dialed on all local calls introduces tremendous disruption into one’s daily life.”

But Sprague told the commission that area code splits had largely fallen out of favor, last used over a decade ago in New Mexico. “An overlay will not require existing customers to change their area code,” she said.

The next step for the Public Service Commission will be a publicity campaign to let people know of D.C.’s second area code, (771). And while it may be a rocky transition for some, Sprague said it’s not one that’s expected to happen again soon — the new area code is expected to be good for the next half-century.