In N.H., 603 area code is reaching end of the line

Bill aims to extend ‘iconic’ number’s life

CONCORD, N.H. — When lawmakers learned New Hampshire’s singular 603 area code was at risk of filling up, they sprung into action to preserve it and give the state more time before a second area code is required.

The Senate passed a bill on Feb. 29 designed to extend the life of the 603 area code, which has been the state’s sole area code since it was created in 1947. It has since become a common marketing tool for businesses in the state.

Senate Bill 603 directs New Hampshire’s Department of Energy to conserve telephone numbers and maximize the number of available numbers, including wireless and interconnected carriers.

“This bill aims to preserve the iconic 603 area code essential to the state’s identity,” said state Senator Regina Birdsell, a Hampstead Republican. “The amendment focuses on telephone number conservation measures inspired by successful efforts in Maine.”

‘[The code] is essential to the state’s identity.’ REGINA BIRDSELL, state senator

After Maine faced the possible exhaustion of its sole 207 area code, it was able to extend the life of the area code through September 2032, as one of just 11 states with a singular area code, WMTW reported. The state was able to get back 750,000 numbers by limiting robocallers, tweaking its practices for forecasting, and handing out large blocks of numbers to providers, among other efforts, according to the report.

New Hampshire has previously faced warnings in 1998 and 2011 that its area code could reach capacity, and it implemented conservation measures to avoid that fate. In spite of those efforts, in 2023 the North American Numbering Plan Administrator warned the area code could be filled up by as early as 2027, according to an October executive order issued by Governor Chris Sununu.

The executive order, “Don’t Overload the Code,” instructed the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Economic Affairs to figure out how to reclaim unused telephone numbers and extend the life of the 603 area code.

An amended version of SB 603 passed the Senate on a bipartisan voice vote, and it now advances to the Senate Finance committee to evaluate the financial impact of the bill. The efforts could cost between $100,000 to $300,000, according to a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing report.