Recommended Free Tools
British Columbia introduced the 672 area code on 4 May 2019 to add telephone-numbering capacity across the same region served by area codes 236, 250, 604 and 778. It was a province-wide overlay, not a code reserved for a new part of BC. Since then, area code 257 entered service on 24 May 2025 as further relief.
What is the 672 area code?
672 is a British Columbia area code introduced as part of a plan to provide more telephone numbers. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved it in Telecom Decision CRTC 2018-58. The decision says the “entire area served by area codes 236, 250, 604, and 778” would receive the new code: CRTC Telecom Decision 2018-58.
That makes 672 a distributed overlay. An overlay adds another area code to an existing service region; it does not divide that region into separate geographic territories. As a result, the official plan does not designate particular cities as the exclusive home of 672.
When did 672 start in British Columbia?
The CRTC set 4 May 2019 as the effective date for the 672 overlay. The date appears in the commission’s 2018 decision, which states that relief would take effect on that day.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
672 was part of a longer sequence of additions. In 2011, the CRTC reserved 672 for future relief and selected 236 as the first overlay code in the sequence; new BC numbers could receive 236 beginning 1 June 2013. The 2011 CRTC decision and a 2013 federal announcement document that earlier step.
What area does 672 cover?
The 672 overlay covers the region already served by 236, 250, 604 and 778. It is not limited to a particular city or a newly created province subregion. The CRTC decision specifies a shared overlay across the entire area served by those four codes.
Rank #2
That distinction matters if you see a 672 number and want to infer where its owner lives: the area code alone does not identify a city within the overlay territory. The official decision establishes the service area, not a city-by-city assignment of 672 numbers.
Why did BC add more area codes?
Area codes and local telephone numbers are finite numbering resources. When forecasts indicated a need for additional numbers in the existing BC region, the CRTC approved another overlay rather than splitting the region. An overlay allows new codes to serve the same territory as existing ones.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Area code 672 was not the final addition. Area code 257 entered service in BC on 24 May 2025, according to the CRTC’s 2023 decision and the Canadian Numbering Administrator’s operational update.
How did forecasts for numbering relief change?
Exhaustion dates in planning documents are projections, not confirmed dates when numbers actually ran out. The dates below describe forecasts cited by the CRTC, not observed exhaustion.
| Forecast cited | Projected exhaustion | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Numbering Administrator forecast based on the March 2021 numbering resource utilization forecast, cited in the CRTC’s 30 July 2021 notice | February 2027 | A projection reported in the CRTC’s 2021 notice. |
| September 2022 Relief Numbering Resource Utilization Forecast, reported in the CRTC’s 10 May 2023 decision | May 2026 | A revised projection reported in the CRTC’s 2023 decision. |
The later forecast moved the projected date earlier, from February 2027 to May 2026. These figures explain why further relief was planned; they do not establish the actual date on which the region’s numbering resources would be exhausted.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you request a 672 phone number?
The official decisions establish that 672 is part of BC’s numbering plan, but they do not establish current availability by carrier or whether a customer can request a number with that area code. Contact a telephone-service provider for its current inventory and number-selection policies.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
