The area served by the NANP was divided into smaller Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) and they were each identified by a three-digit NPA code, which is now called an area code. The system of area codes began in the year 1940 in The United States and Canada. Under the area code system the States and Provinces that had a single digit number code were given a three digit number code for phone services throughout the United States and Canada. Bell Laboratories and AT & T introduced this system and called it The North American Numbering Plan or the NANP. The area codes were equally distributed among the States and Provinces of The United States and Canada. The system began giving phone services in 1947.
The system was launched with 86 codes at that time. When the population in the areas increased these area codes had to be split into many area codes to give better services to the people in those regions. Today the number of area codes is around 300 and they are providing phone services to the regions in the United States and Canada. The North American numbering Plan is a very complicated and complex telephone numbering plan and access to specific area codes of a particular geographical location can be difficult for a person in the absence of a state area code directory. Our area code search tips can help save you time and money.
There are many area code directories that can be accessed online for the purpose of getting area code information. These area code directories can be accessed free of charge or they can be accessed by paying a sum of money. These paid services offer additional information to the person who needs extensive information on area codes. In the case of free area code directories there is limited information and they are restricted to just the name of the subscriber of the phone number. The paid area phone directories offer vital information on telephone, cell phone, pager, toll free, pager and commercial and business phone numbers. They are very accurate and comprehensive and hence they contain relevant information on the geographical area code that a person needs to find.