Area Codes
Yesterday when we received the cell phone bill there we noticed some problems with the bill. There were some strange charges, but most importantly my area code had changed from (909) to (951). Aside from the obvious problems with my needing to inform everyone of a new number there is also the stigma of having either of these area codes.
I grew up in Diamond Bar, which was/is a nice upper-middle class area. When the area code originally changed from (714) to (909) back in the 1980’s (909) still carried some prestige. Then in the early 1990’s all of the people in Southern California that couldn’t afford houses started moving into the Inland Empire, east of the 15 freeway (Marino Valley, Fontana, etc.). Very quickly, Riverside and San Bernardino became white trash and meth-lab central. Despite the fact that Diamond Bar is in Los Angeles County, it was still associated with the (909).
When Riverside changed to the (951) earlier this year, it was the first time in history that an area code was changed by request and not by a lack of available numbers. People living in that area were embarrassed by the stereotype associated with their area code. Since I know that (951) will still be associated with that area of Southern California, I don’t want my cell phone to have that area code. Stupid? Yes, but I know many other who have done the same.
People in Southern California are grouped by area code more than by county. The prestigious area codes seem to be (949) South Orange County, (310) Santa Monica and Malibu, and (714) North Orange County. Next is (818) San Fernando Valley, (626) Pasadena, (562) Long Beach, and (323) parts of LA and Hollywood. The bad ones seem to be (213) Downtown LA, (909) San Bernardino County, and (951) Inland Empire/Riverside County. There are of course exceptions and I am sure there are different opinions, but this is how area codes are viewed in Southern California.
So, I now have a (714) cell phone number to match my home number.
I grew up in Diamond Bar, which was/is a nice upper-middle class area. When the area code originally changed from (714) to (909) back in the 1980’s (909) still carried some prestige. Then in the early 1990’s all of the people in Southern California that couldn’t afford houses started moving into the Inland Empire, east of the 15 freeway (Marino Valley, Fontana, etc.). Very quickly, Riverside and San Bernardino became white trash and meth-lab central. Despite the fact that Diamond Bar is in Los Angeles County, it was still associated with the (909).
When Riverside changed to the (951) earlier this year, it was the first time in history that an area code was changed by request and not by a lack of available numbers. People living in that area were embarrassed by the stereotype associated with their area code. Since I know that (951) will still be associated with that area of Southern California, I don’t want my cell phone to have that area code. Stupid? Yes, but I know many other who have done the same.
People in Southern California are grouped by area code more than by county. The prestigious area codes seem to be (949) South Orange County, (310) Santa Monica and Malibu, and (714) North Orange County. Next is (818) San Fernando Valley, (626) Pasadena, (562) Long Beach, and (323) parts of LA and Hollywood. The bad ones seem to be (213) Downtown LA, (909) San Bernardino County, and (951) Inland Empire/Riverside County. There are of course exceptions and I am sure there are different opinions, but this is how area codes are viewed in Southern California.
So, I now have a (714) cell phone number to match my home number.
posted by Page at
8:08 AM
2 Comments:
Move out of the sticks.
-310
By
Anonymous, At
9:04 AM
There's much to be said for the numbers. My boyfriend is in the 951, but he doesn't care. He wears it with resignation. I'm in the 510 because I, too, subscribe to the theory of area code elitism. 510 is edgy, eccentric, working class yet intellectual. The rest of my family is in the 661, and they get lumped in with the 909-types.
By
Anonymous, At
11:57 PM
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