Running out: 812 area code's number up soon

State regulators will conduct hearings beginning in early March to seek input from the public about what to do when the 812 area code runs out of numbers.

The closest hearings to Seymour will be in Bedford and North Vernon, although consumers can provide input by other means,

including mail or online.

The 812 area code, established when North America’s telephone numbering system went into effect in 1947, is projected to run out of numbers in the first half of 2015.

The projected shortage is being caused by population and business growth and greater demand for cellphones. The 812 area code is Indiana’s largest in area, covering the southern third of the state including cities such as Seymour, Brownstown, Bloomington, Columbus, Evansville and Terre Haute.

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