Even though more than half the phone numbers in the 847 area code are not in use, the industry wants to launch a new code, a request termed “crazy” by the chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- A new area code is coming to the Chicago suburbs, and state regulators said Wednesday they are helpless to stop it. A 224 area code will be added to the territory northwest ...

Chicago’s northern suburbs would get a new area code by spring under a plan outlined Tuesday to the Illinois Commerce Commission. The telephone industry has long said the supply of numbers in the 847 ...