Area codes 201 and 551, Telephone prefix in northeastern New Jersey, United States.
Area codes 201 and 551 identify telephone numbers in northeastern New Jersey and cover Hudson County and Bergen County near the border with New York City. Both codes share the same geographic territory in a system where one code is layered over the other.
The code 201 was introduced in 1947 as the first prefix for all of New Jersey and began direct long-distance dialing service in 1951. Over time its territory shrank through several divisions until it covered only Hudson County and Bergen County in 1997, before code 551 was added in 2001.
The introduction of these area codes reflects the increasing population density and telecommunication needs of communities in Bergen and Hudson counties over several decades.
Calls within the two counties require dialing ten digits because both codes operate in the same area. When dialing, the prefix must be included even for local conversations because the system does not distinguish between near and far.
The prefix 201 originally applied to all of New Jersey and was only limited to two counties after several splits. Today it covers a much smaller area than when it started, while other parts of the state received new codes.
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