Area code 386

The western section covers all of Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwannee, and Union counties.

Area code 386, which was put into service in July 2001, is one of a few examples of how rapid population growth (and explosive growth in unexpected areas) coupled with an increase in auxiliary devices (such as cell phones and pagers) has led to some unusual, unorthodox, and often controversial solutions to dividing up "full" area codes.

As a result, 904 remained the sole area code for north Florida for more than 30 years.

Although this was intended as a long-term solution, the advent of cell phones, pagers, and other auxiliary devices brought 904 back to the brink of exhaustion within four years' time.

This development, along with the rapid growth of both Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, made it obvious that the two cities would need to be in separate area codes.

The Florida Public Service Commission opted for the third solution, and these two non-contiguous sections became area code 386.

There were some on the commission who saw the odd split in area code 386 as a temporary measure.