Area code 217 covers central Illinois, including cities such as Springfield, Champaign, Decatur, and Urbana. Established in 1947 as one of the original area codes, 217 has served as a backbone of communication for the state’s central region. The area includes the state capital, Springfield, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2023, area code 447 was introduced as an overlay to address number exhaustion, requiring ten-digit dialing across the region. Despite this change, 217 continues to be a symbol of Illinois' heartland, representing a mix of political, educational, and agricultural activity. It remains a trusted and respected regional identifier.