ALBANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — The New York State Public Service Commission announced Wednesday that residential, business and wireless customers in the WNY region should prepare for the new 624 area code.

In response, the commission says a new area code “is expected to be activated before the second quarter of 2024,” when all available 716 numbers are expected to be used up.

Still, Western New York has had the 716 area code since before most of us were born. In 1947, it ran past Rochester. In 2001, it was divided in half, ...