Learn About the West Virginia Area Code Directory

West Virginia area code directory consists of area code 304. Area code 304 is one of the eighty six original area codes formed in the United States of America and was formed in 1947. The area code is that part of a telephone number that helps us understand the location of a telephone receiving calls. It is the three digit number that is before the seven digit local number.

Area Code Information

The area codes were first established in 1947. When area codes were first introduced, the codes were assigned depending on their usage. The areas with higher population were assigned a code that could be dialed quickly. This plan was so made because the telephones had rotary dials at that time. Since smaller numbers implied a short “dial pull”, the areas with higher population got codes that could be dialed quickly.

The area code tells about the city or the town the telephone is based in. Area code 304 serving West Virginia has five hundred and thirty nine (539) landlines and one hundred and twenty five (125) wireless exchanges under its cover. It is served by forty seven carriers. Carriers are telephone providers. Few of the carriers in West Virginia providing service under area code 304 are Fibernet, American Cellular Corporation, AT&T Local, Gateway Communications, Nextel Communication, Level 3 Communications, Sprint Spectrum, Citizens Telecommunications and Verizon West Virginia.

Area Code 304

Area code 304 covers as many as one thousand two hundred and sixty two (1,262) ZIP codes and five hundred and ninety six (596) cities. Charleston, Huntington, Wheeling, Morgantown, Fairmont, Parkersburg, Beckley, Apple Grove, Bethlehem, Beverly, Belington, Clintonville and Princeton are a few of the cities in the state of West Virginia that are under area code 304.

In March 28, 2009, area code 304 was overlaid by a new area code 681. Contrary to the area codes in several other states of the country, the area code 304 was overlaid and not split. This was a result of the severe protest voiced by several telecommunications providers against a split. An overlay implies that the existing phone numbers have the same area code as before while all new phone numbers that are issued are assigned a new area code.

The area code system is a part of the North American Numbering Plan or NANP. The North American Numbering Plan helps in operation of telephones calls from the countries that use this system. There are twenty four countries using this system and the NANP governs the rules regarding the assigning of area codes and limiting their numbers.

An area code search will tell you about the regions that are under that particular code. Area code 304 covers the fifty nine counties in the state of West Virginia, United States of America. The information that an area code search reveals is of great use to people. Since this tells about the region as a part of a city or a county, it is of particular importance to people who are traveling to this part of the state.