OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Officials say the creation of a new area code for the state has been delayed by a couple of years.

The state Utilities and Transportation Commission announced that telecommunications companies have at least another three years to assign a new area code to users with th 360 area code, which covers most of western half of the state.

Previous projections had called for a new area code in 2010. But now, state officials say a new area code won't be needed until at least 2012, KIRO reported.

State officials said there's still plenty of unused numbers in the 360 area code.

Elsewhere, the state said it expects the 206 area code to last until 2020, and the 253 and 425 are codes to last until 2028.

The 360 area code went in to effect in 1995.