DETROIT – Starting November 7, phone service providers in the Detroit area will begin issuing phone numbers with the new 679 area code, as the historic 313 area code nears exhaustion, according to a statement issued by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MSPC) on Monday.

The agency announced that the 679 code will serve the same geographic region as 313. Current holders of 313 numbers will keep their existing numbers.

 The North American Numbering Plan Administration, the authority responsible for assigning area codes in the U.S., Canada and several Caribbean nations, recommended the adoption of 679 as a second area code for Detroit and its suburbs.

Although numbers with the 679 code are not expected to be issued until late this year, the MSPC stated that growing demand could accelerate that timeline, allowing for new 679 numbers to be issued earlier.

New area code, new dialing rules

The addition of a second area code will end a long-standing convenience enjoyed by local residents: the ability to dial only seven digits for local calls. Starting October 7, callers will be required to dial the full 10-digit number — even for local calls within the same area code.

If callers enter only the seven-digit number, the call will not go through and they will receive a message prompting them to hang up and redial using the correct format.

This change may cause some confusion, particularly for those with numbers saved in their phones without the area code. It will require updating contact lists and reprogramming some devices — like auto-dialing systems, security systems, medical devices and phone apps — to recognize and work with 10-digit dialing. The new 679 code will also need to be configured as a valid local area code.

To help users adjust, the agency has established a transition period beginning April 7, during which both 7-digit and 10-digit dialing will be accepted. This grace period ends on October 7, after which 10-digit dialing becomes mandatory for all local calls, regardless of area code.

The cost of calls, service areas and rates will remain the same. Three-digit numbers, like 911 and 988, will not be affected.

Historical context

The 313 area code has long been a symbol of Detroit and nearby Wayne County suburbs, evolving into a cultural and historical icon since its adoption in the mid-20th century. It appears widely in local businesses, music, art, clothing and even among Detroit’s Arab and Muslim communities — some of whom associate it with religious significance tied to the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi in certain schools.

Detroit was among the first U.S. cities to receive a dedicated area code in 1947, alongside New York (212), Los Angeles (213) and Chicago (312). These codes were chosen for their ease of use on rotary dial phones.

At the time, Detroit was the fourth-largest city in the U.S., with 1.9 million residents (compared to around 635,000 today). Initially, the 313 code covered all of southeast Michigan, but growth led to the creation of new codes: 810 in 1993 (for Flint, Port Huron and Brighton), 734 in 1997 (for western Wayne County and Washtenaw/Monroe), 248 for Oakland County, and 586 for Macomb County in 2001.

Today, 313 still covers Detroit and nearby suburbs such as Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Redford, Inkster, Hamtramck, Highland Park, the Grosse Pointes and Downriver cities like Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Taylor, Ecorse and River Rouge. These same areas will now also receive the new 679 code.

Despite decades of demographic and economic shifts, the bond between Detroiters and 313 has remained unshaken — whether among the affluent in Grosse Pointe, Black residents in Detroit or Arab and Muslim communities in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights — each holding a unique connection to the area code and its cultural symbolism.