Area Codes 706 and 762

In the NANP, area codes 706 and 762 cover parts of northern and west central Georgia outside of metro Atlanta. Until 1992 it was within area code 404, which was retained by the metro area.

This area code is split into two disconnected sections. The small section is west-central Georgia, in the region around Columbus. This is bordered by area code 334 to the west in Alabama, area code 478 to the east, area code 229 to the south, and metro Atlanta's 404, 678, 770, and future 470. It does not touch the landline area of 404, only the cellphone area.

The major section of 706 wraps around from Rome in northwest Georgia, east through the mountains past Dahlonega, meeting its narrowest point at Toccoa, then broadening south to Athens and Augusta. It touches Alabama's area code 256/938 and 334 on the far west, Tennessee's area code 423 on the northwest, North Carolina's area code 828 and Upstate South Carolina's area code 864 to the north-northeast, and midlands area code 803 to the east, and middle Georgia's 478 and metro Atlanta as above.

The 706 area code is one of the few in the nation that is not contiguous. The likely reason for this is that the Columbus area was not large enough for its own area code, but too large to stay in 404.

In June 2005, the Georgia Public Service Commission announced that 706 was nearly exhausted for new telephone exchange prefixes. Since Columbus was still too small for its own area code, it was decided the new area code would be an overlay. On June 24, the NANPA assigned area code 762 for this purpose, with 10-digit dialing to be allowed on September 3. On April 1, 2007; 10-digit dialing became mandatory in the 706/762 territory.

This is the third time that the GPSC has flip-flopped on its policy for deciding how new area codes would be assigned. Metro Atlanta's suburbs were split into 770, but then both 404 and 770 were overlaid with 678, and cellphones (originally 404 only) can now have any of those no matter where in the metro area. Southern Georgia was then split three ways instead of an overlay.

Presently, 706/762 is expected to remain in its unusual, non-contiguous state until at least 2028. Despite the rapid growth in the area code's main section (particularly the northern portion), it is nowhere near exhausting.

Prior to 1990, area code 706 covered regions of Mexico.