Metro Atlanta to get 5th area code

Residents of metro Atlanta take their area codes very seriously. While you may be familiar with the numbers 404, 770, 678, and 470, there will soon be a new contender in the mix.

Verizon announced on Tuesday that the new 943 area code will be activated in a month and that customers can check out phone numbers available at verizon.com/943overlay, 11Alive reported.

So, where will the new 943 area code cover in Atlanta? According to officials, the new area code will apply to the Atlanta Metropolitan area, which is defined as the cities of Alpharetta, Duluth, Dunwoody, East Point, Forest Park, Gainesville, Griffin, Lawrenceville, Mableton, Marietta, Peachtree City, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna and Tucker.

The move marks the first time that a new area code has been added since 470, which was over a decade ago, according to the Georgia Public Service Commission. The 404 area code, the original statewide area code most associated with Atlanta, was established in 1947. In the 1990s, area codes 770 and 678 were introduced.