Alabama is home to dozens of area codes that make up the state’s phone system. The most commonly used area code in Alabama is 205, which covers the Birmingham metropolitan area and parts of central Alabama. 251 serves the Mobile region, 334 serves Montgomery and most of southeastern Alabama, 938 serves Huntsville and other areas in north-central Alabama, 256 covers northeast Alabama (including Decatur), 659 covers Tuscaloosa and northwest Alabama (including Gadsden), and 478/742 serve southwest Georgia but are also assigned to some exchanges within a few counties along the border with Georgia.
There are several other minor area codes spread throughout rural portions of the state as well. Area codes were first introduced in 1947 when all calls made from one telephone exchange had to have a three-digit prefix known as an “area code”. This was done so that long distance calls could be routed more efficiently across networks by providing additional information about where each call originated from. As technology has advanced over time, new technologies such as cell phones have necessitated additional numbers for services not provided by traditional landlines due to their limited availabilit,; this has resulted in many new area codes being added across all states including those in Alabama.
205 Area Code
The 205 area code is part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and covers Birmingham, Alabama. It was created in 1947 as one of the original 86 area codes assigned by AT&T. The area code also serves parts of surrounding cities such as Bessemer, Calera, Clanton, Cullman, Fairfield, Gardendale, Jasper and Tuscaloosa. This region includes Jefferson County and portions of Blount County to the north; Fayette County to the west; St. Clair County to the east; Chilton County to the south; Walker county and Winston county to the northwest.
The 205 area code is home to many businesses that provide services for residents across central Alabama including healthcare facilities such as UAB Hospital – Birmingham’s largest health care provider – along with telecommunications companies like Comcast Cable Communications LLC which provides cable television service throughout much of Central Alabama. There are also numerous banks located within this region offering banking services for customers in need including Regions Bank with their headquarters located at 1801 4th Ave N in downtown Birmingham.
The 205 area code serves much of central and western Alabama, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Hoover and Bessemer. The 205 area code covers a large geographic region with many different cities and counties inside its boundaries. The largest city within this region is Birmingham, which has been nicknamed “the Magic City” due to its rapid growth during the industrial revolution. Other major cities include Tuscaloosa, Hoover and Bessemer.
Many businesses have chosen to locate their headquarters in the 205 area code because it gives them access to a wide range of potential customers throughout central and western Alabama as well as parts of Mississippi and Georgia. Companies such as Regions Bank, Vulcan Materials Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama are just some examples that have offices or branches in this area code. 205 also serves various educational institutions including University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), University of West Alabama (UWA), Samford University, Miles College, Stillman College, Lawson State Community College, Shelton State Community College among others.
251 Area Code
The 251 area code is located in the state of Alabama and covers Mobile County. It was created in 1995 when it was split off from the 205 area code. This area code serves the southwestern corner of Alabama, including the cities of Mobile, Prichard, Saraland, Satsuma, Bayou La Batre and Theodore.
Additionally, many surrounding suburban and rural areas are served by this area code as well. In addition to landline phone numbers within this region being assigned with a 251 prefix, cell phones may also use this same number range if they are serviced by a local network provider such as AT&T or T-Mobile. The largest city that falls under the coverage of the 251 area code is Mobile – home to
both commercial ports around which much trade occurs throughout South Alabama and Mississippi.
This location has become increasingly popular over recent years due to its close proximity to other major cities like New Orleans (LA) and Pensacola (FL). In terms of culture and recreation opportunities for residents living in this part of Alabama – there’s an abundance! From sailing on nearby waterways or visiting historic sites like Fort Gaines or Dauphin Island Sea Lab aquarium – there’s something for everyone here!
334 Area Code
The 334 area code is located in the southeastern region of the United States. It serves as an overlay to the 251 area code and covers parts of Alabama, including Montgomery County, Autauga County, Elmore County, Lowndes County, Crenshaw County and Butler County. The 334 area code was created in 1995 when it split from the 205 area code.
The 334 area code has several major cities within its borders including Montgomery (the state capital), Auburn-Opelika (a college town with two universities), Selma (home to one of America’s most important Civil Rights landmarks) and Dothan (known for its peanut production). Many small towns are also serviced by this area code such as Troy, Greenville and Andalusia.
Most businesses that operate within this region use the 334 area code instead of a toll free number which helps them keep their costs down while still providing customers easy access to their services or products. Many companies have also chosen to move into this particular region because they find it provides them with an efficient means to reach out to potential customers who may not be able to travel long distances for business meetings or consultations.
For example companies like Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance Company have offices in Montgomery where they service clients throughout the entire state using numbers associated with the 334 area code. There are also numerous government agencies that utilize phone numbers with the 334 area code such as Department of Human Resources – Child Support Division which operates out of Selma, Alabama State Troopers located in Montgomery, Department Of Public Health – Environmental Services based in Dothan, Social Security Administration Office, and Veterans Affairs Regional Office found at Maxwell Air Force Base near Montgomery.
938 Area Code
The 938 area code is located in the state of Alabama, covering the cities of Huntsville and Decatur. It was created in 1998 as a result of a split from area code 205. The 938 area code covers all landline numbers and wireless phone numbers with prefixes beginning with 256, 251, 759, 539, 470 or 619. This includes parts of Madison County as well as Limestone County. Major cities within this area code include Athens, Ardmore, Belle Mina and Tannehill.
256 Area Code
The 256 area code is located in the state of Alabama, and covers Decatur, Huntsville, and surrounding areas. It was established in 1995 as part of a split from the 205 area code. The 256 area code serves more than 1 million people across 13 counties within Northern Alabama. Major cities served by this area code include Huntsville, Decatur, Athens, Florence, Gadsden, Anniston/Oxford and Cullman.
The economy of the region is largely dominated by technology-based industries such as aerospace engineering and manufacturing, healthcare services, educational institutions, business services, retail trade, finance & banking, tourism & hospitality industry, transportation & logistics services, etc. If you receive a call from someone with a 256 area code it could be from anywhere within these thirteen counties:
- Autauga County AL (Prattville)
- Blount County AL (Oneonta)
- Calhoun County AL (Anniston/Oxford)
- Cherokee County AL (Centre)
- Colbert County AL (Muscle Shoals)
- DeKalb Counties AL (Fort Payne Area Code Overlay w/256 & 938 Prefixes)
- Etowah county(Gadsden)
- Fayette county(Fayette)
- Franklin county(Russellville)
- Jackson county(Scottsboro)
- Lauderdale county(Florence)
- Limestone county
- Madison county
- Marshall county
- Morgan county
- Winston county
659 Area Code
The 659 area code is located in the state of Alabama. It serves a large portion of the northern part of the state, including Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile. The cities served by this area code include Anniston, Auburn, Bessemer, Cullman, Decatur and Florence. Other communities within its service area include Gadsden, Jasper and Tuscaloosa.
The 659 area code was created in 2001 as an overlay to the 205 area code when it became necessary to add more phone numbers due to increased demand for services in this region of Alabama. This means that customers may choose either 205 or 659 when dialing a local number.
Though most customers will not need to change their existing telephone numbers if they are already using 205 or 659 as their primary area codes for making calls within Alabama. Some people might be required to switch over if they live on the border between two different exchanges (areas). If someone who lives on the border between Birmingham (205) and Huntsville (659) needs new phone service from a provider that only offers one exchange at a time then they would have to select either one or the other depending upon which exchange covers their home address best.
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