South Carolina's telephone area code system has evolved significantly since its inception. Initially, the entire state was served by the single area code 803, introduced in 1947. As the need for more telephone numbers grew, the state's area code map expanded. In 1995, the 864 area code was created to serve the Upstate region, including cities like Greenville and Spartanburg. The coastal regions, including Charleston and Myrtle Beach, were assigned the 843 area code in 1998. More recently, to meet the increasing demand for phone numbers, an overlay area code, 854, was introduced in 2015, which coexists with 843. This expansion of area codes reflects the growing telecommunications needs of South Carolina's diverse regions.
South Carolina has seen a significant increase in mobile phone usage. Data from 2023 shows that 76.6% of adults in South Carolina rely solely on mobile phones, up from 58.7% in 2019—a gain of nearly 18 percentage points in four years. South Carolina residents who primarily use a wireless phone make up 11.2%, while 5.9% are dual users. Those who mainly rely on landlines and those who only use landlines have declined to 3.4% and 2.0% respectively. Adults without any phone service stands at 0.9%—among the lowest in the South. South Carolina's dual-user segment has dropped sharply since 2019, reflecting the state's embrace of mobile-first communication.