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REThis sketch aired on 11/15/1997 on King 5 TV's Almost Live! This edited clip explains the confusion in 1997 when the 206 area code, which had served the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, was split into the 206, 425, and 253 area codes. This was a time when phone calls outside your hometown were often "long distance" and you were forced to dial a "1" before the number in order for the call to go through. You would get charged extra for these calls and never knew what the charges were until you got your phone bill. Calls were charged by the minute and the rates often varied. Today "unlimited nationwide calling" is the standard among cell phone carriers and long distance charges typically only apply to international calls.
More detailed history - Washington initially used a single area code (206) until 1957 when area code 509 was created for Eastern Washington. In 1995, area code 206 was split up with 206 for the greater Seattle area (including the Eastside) and 360 for the remainder of the Puget Sound region. Then just 2 years later in 1997, 206 was further divided into area code 425 for the Eastside and South Snohomish County suburbs; area code 253 for the Kent, Auburn, and Tacoma area; and leaving 206 for the City of Seattle, the closely neighboring cities in King and Snohomish counties, and Bainbridge Island in Kitsap County.
Please see YouTube georgebuford for the full sketch
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