If you’ve ever wondered how phone calls get routed to the right place, it all starts with the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). This system uses area codes to direct calls across different regions.
One such area code is 872, and it belongs to the city of Chicago, Illinois. If you’re seeing a number with the 872 country code, it’s likely someone from the Windy City trying to get in touch.
This article will give you a complete look at the 872 area code, including a bit of its history and how it’s used today.
Location and Time Zone for the 872 Area Code
If you’re getting a call from the 872 area code, that call is coming from Chicago, Illinois. The 872 area code is one of several that serve the city.
Chicago is in the Central Time Zone. When it’s noon in New York, it’s 11 a.m. in Chicago.
Where did area code 872 come from?
Area code 872 was created to ease the pressure on the 312 area code, which was running out of available numbers.
It was created on November 7, 2009, and was the 343rd area code to enter service in North America.
Area code 872 was one of 8 area codes introduced in 2009. It was the 13th area code to be introduced in Illinois.
Currently, Illinois has 17 area codes.
What are overlay area codes?
An overlay area code covers the same geographic area as existing area codes. The telephone companies introduced them in 1992 to keep up with the demand for new phone numbers.
The 872 area code is an overlay for the 312 and 773 area codes, which serve Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs. Because of this overlay, you must dial all ten digits (area code + phone number) when making a call, even for local calls.
Where is area code 872 used?
Area code 872 serves Cook County, Illinois, which uses 14% of the county’s total area. In fact, 100% of the phone numbers assigned to area code 872 are located within Cook County.
The area code also serves the city of Chicago, Illinois, where it covers 97% of the city.
As with Cook County, 100% of the phone numbers assigned to area code 872 are assigned to locations within the city of Chicago.
Telephone Carriers and Prefix Usage
Telephone carriers play a key role in assigning prefixes within the +872 area code. They’re responsible for distributing these prefixes to both landline and wireless services.
Interestingly, prefixes aren’t evenly split. Only about 31% of prefixes are assigned to a traditional telco (telephone company) for landline use, and around 62% are dedicated to wireless carriers.
For example, some prefixes are assigned to specific carriers for landline services in Chicago, while others are used by wireless providers throughout the area code’s coverage zone. Because many different prefixes are assigned to many different carriers, it’s hard to know exactly where a call is coming from within the 872 area code.
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is 872 in?
The 872 area code doesn’t correspond to a specific county. Instead, it overlays the same geographic area as the 312 and 773 area codes, covering the city of Chicago and some surrounding suburbs within Cook County, Illinois.
What time zone is the 872 area code in?
Because the 872 area code serves Chicago and its surrounding areas, it operates within the Central Time Zone (CT). This means it observes Central Standard Time (CST) during the winter months (UTC-6) and Central Daylight Time (CDT) during the summer (UTC-5).
What is the country code of Chicago?
Chicago doesn’t have its own separate country code. As part of the United States, Chicago utilizes the country code +1. When dialing Chicago from outside the US, you’d use +1 followed by the area code (312, 773, or 872) and then the local number.
What phone number is 872 from?
The 872 area code doesn’t “come from” a specific phone number. It’s an area code assigned to Chicago, Illinois, and overlays the existing 312 and 773 area codes. This means you can’t trace a call back to a specific original number just based on the 872 area code.
Wrapping Up
So, to recap, area code 872 serves the city of Chicago. It’s an overlay for the older 312 and 773 area codes and was introduced back in 2009 to meet the city’s growing demand for phone numbers.
It’s now an integral part of Chicago’s telecommunications landscape, ensuring that the city can keep connecting. As the need for phone numbers continues to evolve, so too will area codes around the world.