Area code 912

Area code 912 is a US telephone area code serving the southeastern portion of the state of Georgia. It covers Savannah, Hinesville, Vidalia, Waycross, Brunswick, Douglas, Statesboro and Jesup.

History

Area code 912 was split from area code 404 in 1954. When it was created, it covered the entire southern half of the state, including the cities of Savannah, Macon, and Albany.

This region of Georgia is not as densely populated as the north, despite the presence of Savannah and Macon. As a result, 912 remained unchanged for 46 years. By the start of the 21st century, an impending number shortage made it apparent that south Georgia needed another area code. In addition to the proliferation of cell phones and pagers, portions of the 912 territory were in LATAs that extended into Florida and South Carolina, further limiting the supply of numbers. On August 1, 2000, area code 912 was reduced to its current size in a three-way split, with Savannah and the eastern portion retaining 912. The western portion (centered on Albany) became area code 229, while the northern portion (centered on Macon) became area code 478. Permissive dialing continued throughout the old 912 territory until August 1, 2001.