New Alabama 938 Area Code Overlay

New Alabama 938 Area Code Overlay

10-Digit Calls In Alabama’s 256 Area Code To Begin Soon

New Area Code Will Share the Same Region as the Existing 256 Area Code

To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the Public Service Commission of Alabama (PSC) has approved the addition of the 938 area code for the geographic region currently served by the 256 area code. This is called an Area Code Overlay. Area code 938 is a telephone numbering plan code in the state of Alabama officially scheduled to take effect on July 10, 2010, as an overlay of area code 256. In order to allow people time to reprogram electronics such as phones, computers, and other devices, 10-digit dialing was made available for “voluntary compliance” across the 256 area code beginning on November 7, 2009, and with mandatory usage by June 5, 2010.

To complete local calls, the new dialing procedure requires callers to dial the full 10-digit telephone number. This means that all calls from the 256 area code that are currently dialed with 7-digits will need to be dialed using the area code + 7-digit telephone number.

However, long distance calls will remain the same. Callers need to dial 1 + area code + 7-digit telephone number whenever placing a long distance call from the 256 or 938 area code.