Southern Indiana to get new phone area code

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Southern Indiana’s 812 area code is due to run out of telephone numbers by 2015.

The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor says the telecommunications industry wants to “overlay” a new area code in the existing region instead of dividing it geographically.

The Evansville Courier & Press reports an overlay means existing numbers keep the 812 area code and new numbers get the new area code.

If there’s a geographic split, some current customers keep the 812 code while others get the new one.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will choose.