SAN ANTONIO -- In 1992, San Antonio was introduced to the 210 area code, breaking away from Austin's 512. Starting Saturday, March 25, get ready to welcome another area code to the Alamo City:
7-2-6.
"People are like, 'Oh, I'm reppin' the 210!' Now they're gonna have to change it to, 'Oh, where you from?' 'Uh, the 726! I'm your next door neighbor!'" San Antonio resident Alex Castillo said.
San Antonio, known for being the "big city with a small town feel" is exploding with new neighbors.
"I'm lucky they didn't add pound signs or backslashes or anything!" resident Patrick Donnelly said. "For the first year or so, there's gonna be a lot of wrong numbers, so everybody's just gonna have to be patient."
We're so big, we're about to welcome an additional area code.
"My first job, in 1973, was at the corner of Wurzbach and 10, and we were the very edge of town right there," Donnelly recalled.
Starting Saturday, folks with a 210 area code have six months to get used to a new routine: Dialing all ten digits for local phone numbers. That's because, starting in September, 10 digits will be needed for all local calls.
"It just means that we're growing and that's a positive thing," resident Daryl Jackson said. "It will be kind of difficult at first, but everyone will get used to it."
This change applies to most, but not all of Bexar County. Small pockets outside of the county lines will also be affected.
But don’t fret! After September, if you still want a 2-1-0 area code, the famous digits won't disappear.
"The 210 area code will always exist. As people cancel phone service, get new phones, get rid of old ones, there will always be a give and take of availability and non-availability of 210 phone numbers," said Terry Hadley, a spokesman with the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
You can request the 210 or 726 area code through your cellular provider. Plus, nowadays, it's a quick three-digit add to your contacts in your cell phone.
"You just type in a phone number and you save it under a name, so you don't really have to worry about typing or anything," Castillo noted.
Even though 10 digits will be mandatory in September, the new 726 area code won't be activated until October 23.
"Probably not long before we get a third [area code]," Donnelly said.
For more information about your coverage and requesting specific phone numbers, contact your cellular provider.