FILE - In this May 21, 2013 file photo, a view of an iPhone in Washington showing the Twitter app, right, among others. Think of it as tweeting for dollars. The social media service Twitter on Tuesday introduced a feature that enables political candidates and advocacy groups to raise money directly via its mobile application, making it quicker and easier to harvest small donations from followers. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

DENVER | The Denver metro area will have a new area code next year when available phone numbers starting with 303 and 720 are expected to run out.

The Colorado Sun reports all current phone customers can keep their existing phone numbers and area codes. But starting in April 2022, people requesting new telephone service or to move their service may be assigned the new 983 area code.

The change comes as the state’s population continues its explosive growth. Colorado added about 1.5 million people over the last two decades, and most of that growth has been along the Front Range.

The Public Utilities Commission expects the 983 area code to provide new phone numbers for about 25 years. Colorado hasn’t had a new area code since 1998, when 720 was introduced. The 303 area code served the entire state from 1947 to 1988.

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