Area code 843

Area code 843 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the southeastern coastal region of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was created in 1998 as a split from the original area code 803, which had served the entire state since 1947. The 843 region is renowned for its historic cities, major tourism destinations, and significant military installations. It is an overlay complex with area code 854, which was added in 2022 to ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers.

History

The North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) implemented area code 843 on March 22, 1998, to relieve numbering exhaustion in the original area code 803. This split was necessitated by the rapid population growth and proliferation of fax machines, mobile phones, and pagers along the coast. The creation of 843 followed a series of other splits across the Southeastern United States, such as those for Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to the 1998 change, the entire state of South Carolina had been served by just area code 803 since the NANP's inception. The increasing demand for numbers later led the South Carolina Public Service Commission to approve an all-services overlay, introducing area code 854 for the same geographic region effective May 26, 2022.

Service area

Area code 843 serves all or part of 12 counties along the South Carolina coast, a region often referred to as the Lowcountry and Pee Dee. Major cities within its jurisdiction include the historic port city of Charleston, the popular resort destination of Myrtle Beach, and the southern city of Hilton Head Island. Other significant communities covered are Florence, Georgetown, Beaufort, and Summerville. The service area encompasses key economic and cultural hubs such as the Port of Charleston, Shaw Air Force Base, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

Central offices and prefixes

The numbering plan area is served by multiple competitive local exchange carriers and the incumbent Lumen Technologies. Central office prefixes are assigned in blocks by the Federal Communications Commission to various providers serving communities like Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, and Bluffton. Examples of active central office codes include prefixes serving the City of Charleston, the Grand Strand region around Myrtle Beach, and the Sea Islands. The introduction of area code 854 as an overlay mandated ten-digit dialing for all local calls within the region, a practice now common in many metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and New York City.

In popular culture

The 843 area code is frequently referenced in media and music celebrating the coastal South Carolina lifestyle. It appears in songs by artists from the region, such as rapper Pacman da Gunman, and is often mentioned in contexts related to tourism, beach music, and the local Gullah culture. The code is synonymous with locales featured in television shows like Southern Charm and films shot in the historic districts of Savannah and Charleston. It is also associated with major annual events like the Cooper River Bridge Run and the Myrtle Beach Bike Week.

See also

* Area code 803 * Area code 854 * North American Numbering Plan * List of North American area codes

Category:Area codes in South Carolina Category:1998 establishments in South Carolina Category:North American Numbering Plan area codes