Area coe 559 is an area code that was created on November 14, 1998, when the southern half of the area code 209 (in service since 1958) reached full capacity. Like many other regions that had experienced area code changes during the area code boom of the 1990's, both 559 and 209 were in the early planning stages of relief, potentially creating the need for introduction of further new area codes. Yet by 2002, number blocking was being enforced in the 209 and 559 area codes. Instead of handing out numbers in blocks of 10,000 to private companies (as had been normal practice since the beginning of the NANP in 1947), only 1,000 numbers would be handed out at a time. For example, instead of granting Pacific Bell all numbers (559) 330-xxxx, only numbers (559) 330-0xxx, or (559) 330-1xxx or (559) 330-2xxx, and so on, would be granted.