Have you ever encountered a phone number with the “1-856” prefix and wondered where it originated? While it might seem like a standard country code at first glance, the answer is a bit more nuanced.
The truth is, the “1-856” sequence isn’t a country code at all. It’s actually an area code within the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) specifically designated for southwestern New Jersey. This region encompasses major cities like Camden, Cherry Hill, and Vineland.
Established in 1999, the 1-856 area code emerged from a split of the original 609 area code used across a larger portion of the state. The rapid growth in phone lines necessitated the creation of 1-856 to handle the increasing telecommunication demands of the southwestern region.
So, if you ever come across a phone number with the 1-856 prefix, you can rest assured it originates from somewhere in southwestern New Jersey, USA. Now you can confidently identify the source of those 1-856 calls!