Where is Area Code 720?
Area code 720 covers a significant portion of north-central Colorado, serving both urban and suburban areas. It primarily encompasses:
- Denver, known for its vibrant cultural scene and status as the state capital
- Aurora, a rapidly growing city east of Denver
- Lakewood and Westminster, key suburban municipalities that host various government services
- Boulder, home to the University of Colorado and a technology hub
- Additional regions within Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Jefferson, and Douglas Counties
Many of these localities receive telecommunications oversight from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, located at Colorado Public Utilities Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver, CO 80202. For details on the official numbering plan directives, please refer to the state commission’s resources.
What Time Zone Is 720 Area Code in the USA?
The 720 area code follows the Mountain Time Zone. Consequently, residents and businesses in these communities observe:
- Standard time (Mountain Standard Time, MST) from early November to mid-March
- Daylight Saving Time (Mountain Daylight Time, MDT) from mid-March to early November
This alignment ensures local consistency with federal guidelines on timekeeping. For up-to-date information, individuals may consult local authorities or check federal documentation on timekeeping policy under federal oversight of telecommunications.
History of the 720 Area Code
Introduced in 1998, area code 720 was established as an overlay for the long-standing 303 code. This decision was primarily triggered by:
- Rapid population growth in the Denver metropolitan region, leading to a surge in demand for new telephone numbers.
- Expansion of business and government services, intensifying the need for additional numbering resources.
- The necessity to prevent number exhaustion within existing area codes while maintaining continuity of service for current subscribers.
Since its creation, 720 has operated side by side with 303. No mandatory geographic splits occurred, and subscribers were simply encouraged to adopt 10-digit dialing to facilitate the overlay. Throughout these changes, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver, CO 80202 has been responsible for implementing numbering policies in accordance with state and federal guidelines. Their official numbering plan directives ensure efficiency and adherence to national standards.
How Many People Use the 720 Area Code?
The 720 code serves a broad swath of Colorado’s population, which now exceeds three million individuals living and working in the covered regions. Estimates indicate:
- Denver’s population is over 700,000, constituting a large fraction of the area code’s user base.
- Aurora and Lakewood together contribute hundreds of thousands more, mainly in residential and commercial sectors.
- Boulder sustains a substantial academic and technology-focused population reliant on stable telecom services.
For detailed statistics on population and demographic changes, many local and state agencies coordinate data collection and analysis. When seeking official demographic data from the Colorado Department of Revenue, located at Colorado Department of Revenue, 1375 Sherman St, Denver, CO 80261, stakeholders can review figures that help illustrate the scope of area code 720’s coverage.
Is the 720 Area Code Toll-Free?
Area code 720 is not a toll-free code. It is classified as a geographic area code that typically involves standard local calling rates. Noteworthy points include:
- Subscribers placing local calls within the region usually incur local fees or use monthly plan minutes, depending on their service provider.
- Businesses operating in the 720 area are subject to local telecom regulations and must ensure compliance with statewide directives.
- Any entity requiring toll-free assignments (e.g., numbers beginning with 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 833) should refer to federal oversight of toll-free numbering, available through the Federal Communications Commission, located at Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
Local carriers provide number assignments under the state’s direction, but the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver, CO 80202 remains the initial point of contact for permissions and licensing. The Commission’s authority ensures that area code 720 continues to function effectively for both private and government usage.