Kentucky officials hold public meeting in Louisville for input on 502 area code change

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The 502 area code may soon be a thing of the past for new phone numbers.

State officials held a meeting in Louisville Thursday evening to get opinions from the community.

It's expected the area will run out of new numbers by late 2027, and though five different solutions are on the table, one seems more likely than the other.

Almost every area in the country has used what's called an "overlay" in the past 20 years. That means you keep your phone number, but when the numbers run out new customers will get a number with the new, different area code.

That option would require one change.

"Then 10-digit dialing would be mandatory, meaning you have to dial an area code before you make a phone call anywhere within the 502," said J.E.B. Pinney, executive advisor at the Kentucky Public Service Commission. "So currently you don't have to dial 502 if you're making a call within it, especially if you're on a landline, but that would have to change."

The second option would be a geographic split, but that hasn't been used in the U.S. since 2007.

"It takes a lot of time before the telecommunications providers make the necessary changes," Pinney said. "And considering there are also public safety concerns, making sure you work with the local public service, public safety access points, 911 providers to know that these changes are coming for their networks."

A new area code has not been decided on yet, but must be created prior to the exhaustion date.

Previous Coverage:

Public input sought as Kentucky prepares for 502 area code change

'502 means Louisville' | Talk of a new area code gets mixed reviews from locals

With shortage of new 502 phone numbers, Kentucky will seek input on possible solutions