AI Receptionist with
312 Area Code
for Chicago Businesses

The 312 area code is the original telephone area code for Chicago, Illinois, established in 1947. It covers downtown Chicago, the Chicago Loop, and immediate surrounding neighborhoods, sharing coverage with overlay code 872.

The 312 area code holds a special place in American telecommunications history as one of the original 86 area codes established in 1947 under the North American Numbering Plan. Initially, 312 covered the entire Chicago metropolitan area, including what are now the 708, 773, and 847 regions. As Chicago's population and telephone usage exploded throughout the 20th century, the need for additional numbering capacity became apparent. The first major split occurred in 1989 with the creation of area code 708 for the western and southern suburbs. The most significant change came in 1996 when 312 was dramatically reduced in size, with area code 773 created to serve all Chicago neighborhoods outside the downtown core. This left 312 covering only the Chicago Loop, Near North Side, and immediate downtown areas - making it one of the smallest geographic area codes in the nation. The introduction of overlay code 872 in 2009 provided relief for both 312 and 773, allowing new phone numbers to use any of the three codes while maintaining the geographic integrity of the original 312 territory. Today, 312 remains synonymous with downtown Chicago's business district and continues to be highly sought after by businesses seeking an established, prestigious Chicago presence.