Detroit is preparing for a new area code
Detroit – 313 needs a backup.
submission 679.
Detroit, Downriver, Grosse Pointes, and other Wayne County suburbs may soon need a new phone area code. The Michigan Public Service Commission announced Thursday that all 313 phone numbers are expected to be in use by the third quarter of 2025.
The state utility regulator scheduled a public hearing in March to discuss adding overlay area code 679 to Detroit and its enclaves — Hamtramck and Highland Park — and the suburbs of Allen Park, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Echorus, Grosse Pointes, Inkster Lincoln Park, Redford Township, River Rouge and Taylor.
The proposed area code 679 would overlap Detroit and the surrounding First Ring suburbs that have had area code 313 since 1947. This means that if you already have the number 313, you won’t lose it. Only new customers in the area will be assigned numbers with the 679 area code.
Area code 313 has become a symbol of Detroit’s pride. It is part of the vernacular and is printed on T-shirts, bags, and other merchandise.
March 13th is a celebration of Detroit and its influence on food, music, movies, and more.
Entrepreneurs named their businesses after the area code. Campaigns focused on inclusion and increasing opportunities for Detroit adoption.
It’s a “no-brainer” at all, said Patrick Ayoub, owner of the Detroit Watch Co. in Birmingham One of his watches is inspired by the look of a rotary phone after area code 313. Its popularity has inspired a city collection with similar products with area codes for other major cities such as New York City and Toronto as well.
“People use it because they are 313,” Ayoub said. “It’s literally a representation of Detroit itself. People in Detroit and metro Detroit buy it, but also Detroiters and Michiganders who are far away. It’s very special for them to buy it. It’s ‘I’m from Detroit, or originally from Detroit. ‘ There’s a connection.”
more:March 13th is 313 days. Go back in time with these Detroit photos
679 have been suggested before
North American Numbering Plan Manager, responsible for managing phone numbering plans in the United States, Canada, and several Caribbean countries, He filed a petition in November To introduce a new area code 679 to Detroit.
Area code 313 has already been split twice, once in 1993 to create area code 810 for the Brighton, Flint, and Port Huron areas and again in 1997 to create area code 734 for the western suburbs of Wayne County and Washtenaw and Monroe counties.
The Public Service Commission said the addition of the 679 area code would require callers to dial area codes when making local calls to 313 or 679 numbers. The change will not affect customer billing.
MPSC said adding another area code would also require reprogramming of some devices, such as auto-dialing equipment, medical devices and home security systems, if they are only set to dial seven digits.
NANPA first attempted to introduce the 679 area code overlay plan in 2000, the Public Service Commission said, but its implementation was delayed after federal numbering policy changes and efforts to preserve the numbering.
In the petition, NANPA said customer education, communication plan best practices and technical milestones have all changed since 2000 and asked the commission to update the old plan, which was approved in 2001.
The public hearing to discuss area code overlay 679 will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on March 9 on the downtown campus of the Wayne County Community College District, 1001 W. Fort St. , in Frank Hayden Community Room No. 236.
The public may submit written comments on the overlay plan to the MPSC by mailing it to PO Box 30221, Lansing, MI 48909, or emailing it to mpscedockets@michigan.gov. The committee said all written comments must refer to Case No. U-21337.
“313 is more than an area code”
Adding a new area code could put some organizations, especially those focused on inclusion and expanding opportunity, in a difficult spot.
Venture 313, for example, is a platform for billionaire businessman Dan Gilbert’s family foundation to encourage entrepreneurship in the city.
James Feigen, director of economic mobility for Venture 313 and founder, said in a statement that he will continue to do his work to support business owners as is, “no matter what their phone number is in the future.”
“313 is more than just an area code,” said Vision. “It’s an identity. Detroiters have a long history of maintaining our connection to pieces of this city long after we’ve changed names and numbers. If anything, this will make our connection even stronger.”
Some people don’t know what to think of the proposal yet.
Chris Reynolds, owner of Detroit Life clothing store on the Mall in Partridge Creek in Clinton Township, is working on some new designs with The original “313” and “313” on it.
“That’s going to be crazy,” Reynolds said of the planned 679 area code.
But he is optimistic Detroit will not lose its ID 313.
Reynolds said, “It represents the best city in the world, in my opinion. 313 will always be Detroit. It’s known throughout the United States and around the world.”
He would have known. He said he ships the “313” shirt as far as Europe, Madagascar and Iran.
Can he imagine adding some “679” swag to the mix?
“Even today, it’s impossible,” Reynolds said. “of course not.”
bnoble@detroitnews.com
hmackay@detroitnews.com