Researching a Number Card

[poplar1]

Researching a number card:

In this example, a theoretical 615 690-xxxx  number card is used. This could  also have been 615 + a 2-5 number such as 615 OXford 0-xxxx, or 615 OX 0-xxxx, or just a 615 690-xxxx.

When area codes are split, and an existing NXX (central office code) is moved to the new area code, this frees up that office code for reassignment in the old area code. Therefore, it's usually a good idea to print out all current 690 NXXs for Tenessee:

http://www.area-codes.com/search.asp?frmNPA=&frmNXX=690&frmCity=&frmState=tn&frmZip=&frmCounty=&frmCompany=&search.x=40&search.y=12

This shows that currently, 690 NXX is assigned to the following area codes in Tennessee:
423,  615 (Nashville -- Nuvox Communications), 629, 731, 865 (Knoxville  (Knox County)-- BellSouth),  901, and 931 (Memphis -- Cricket Communications).

So, since one of these is BellSouth (AT&T), is it possible that Knoxville, currently in NPA (area code) 865, was once in area code 615? If so, then this phone number may have originally been from Knoxville, and not Nashville.

Searching area code history, we find the following:


Area Code 865 History:

11/01/1999
Area code 865 was put into service. Area code 865 was created from a split of area code 423.

Counties in Tennessee within area code 865 include:

Anderson County, Blount County, Grainger County, Jefferson County, Knox County, Loudon County, Roane County, Sevier County, and Union County.

Major cities or places in Tennessee within area code 865 include:

Area code 865 serves the east-central area of Tennessee including the larger cities and communities of Gatlinburg, Harriman, Knoxville, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville in addition to many smaller communities within the area code 865 service area.
  http://www.areacodehelp.com/where/area_code_865.shtml


              Area Code 423 History:

              09/11/1995
              Area code 423 was put into service. Area code 423 was created from a split of area code 615. In 1999 area code 423     was split to form area code 865. ( http://www.areacodehelp.com/where/area_code_423.shtml )

So, it's possible that when 615 split in 1995, NXX 660 was moved to the new 423 area code. Then, in 1999, it's possible that the same 690-xxxx phone number moved to the new area code 865.

I don't have any references to old numbers in Knoxville to verify the above info, but in any case, it's important to do a statewide search for all appearances of NXXs, rather than just the one area code shown on a number card. In this case, if the number card was printed before 1995, then it would have a 615 rather than 423 or 865.