Some new phone customers in B.C. may be issued a number with the province's new 236 area code starting June 1.
The new area code covers the entire province and was approved by the CRTC to ensure residents and businesses have enough phone numbers.
Customers who get a new phone number may be able to choose from existing 604, 778 or 250 area codes where enough of those numbers exist.
If those options aren't available a 236 number will be issued.
Geographic boundaries that govern long-distance calling are not affected.
Plans for the new area code were announced in 2011 in response to the explosive growth in wireless device use, depleting the supply of available phone numbers within B.C.'s existing area codes.
