Area codes 732 and 848

In the original configuration of the first nationwide telephone numbering plan of 1947, all of New Jersey was a single numbering plan area (NPA), assigned the first of all area codes, 201.

This made available more central office prefixes in the northern part, comprising the densely populated western suburbs of New York City, as well as in the area south of Newark, which fell into NPA 908.

[6] Following a six month grace period, the use of the 732 area code became mandatory on December 6 of that year.

The area includes Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties in Northern and Central New Jersey, and Monmouth and northern Ocean counties on the New Jersey Shore.

[7] With the introduction of the area code 848 overlay, 10-digit dialing became mandatory (on December 1, 2001).