The Chicago region’s supply of phone numbers is showing remarkable longevity, defying phone industry predictions that available numbers within the 847 area code would soon run out, the Illinois ...

The 618 area in southern Illinois, for instance, is expected to run out of new phone numbers late next year. Phone numbers are being handed out quickly as the number of cell phones and pagers grows.

Even though more than half the phone numbers in the 847 area code are not in use, the industry wants to launch a new code, a request termed “crazy” by the chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Students returning to campus for Winter Quarter were greeted with an important change to their phone service: four extra digits are now required to make off-campus calls, even if the calls are made ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- A new area code is coming to the Chicago suburbs, and state regulators said Wednesday they are helpless to stop it. A 224 area code will be added to the territory northwest ...