Area code 256
Encyclopedia
Area codes 256 and 938 are telephone numbering plan
codes in the state of Alabama
with 256 created on March 23, 1998, as a split from area code 205
. In order to allow people time to reprogram electronics such as computers, cell phones, pagers and fax machines, use of the 205 area code continued in the 256 areas through September 28, 1998.
It covers north and northeast Alabama and includes the following metropolitan areas:
In March 2009, the Alabama Public Service Commission announced that the new overlay
area code 938 would be added on top of the current 256 area code "sometime in 2011". As a result, 10-digit dialing was implemented for all numbers in the area with voluntary compliance beginning on November 7, 2009, and mandatory use by June 5, 2010 instead of dialing 7 digits until "sometime in 2011" The 938 area code took effect beginning July 10, 2010. This timing roughly coincided with the end of the originally projected 12-year "life span" of the original 256 area code.
Telephone numbering plan
A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunications to allocate telephone numbers to subscribers and to route telephone calls in a telephone network. A closed numbering plan, such as found in North America, imposes a fixed total length to numbers...
codes in the state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
with 256 created on March 23, 1998, as a split from area code 205
Area code 205
205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...
. In order to allow people time to reprogram electronics such as computers, cell phones, pagers and fax machines, use of the 205 area code continued in the 256 areas through September 28, 1998.
It covers north and northeast Alabama and includes the following metropolitan areas:
- Huntsville Metropolitan AreaHuntsville Metropolitan AreaThe Huntsville Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan statistical area in northern Alabama. The Huntsville Metropolitan Area's population was estimated at 395,645.-Counties:The metro area comprises two counties:Limestone and Madison.-Places:...
- Decatur Metropolitan AreaDecatur Metropolitan AreaThe Decatur Metropolitan Area is a moderately urban region of North-Central Alabama. The 2008 estimate population is 150,125, one third of which resides within the boundaries of its core city, Decatur, Alabama....
- The ShoalsThe ShoalsThe Shoals is a metropolitan area in northwestern Alabama, officially known as the Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area, including the cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, and Sheffield, and the counties of Lauderdale and Colbert...
- GadsdenGadsdenGadsden may refer to:In geography:*Gadsden, Alabama**Gadsden Depot, a United States Army Depot in the city of Gadsden, Alabama*Gadsden, Arizona*Gadsden, Indiana*Gadsden, Tennessee*Gadsden County, Florida...
Metropolitan Area - Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan AreaAnniston-Oxford Metropolitan AreaThe Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area is the most populated metropolitan area in Northeast Alabama next to Huntsville. At the 2000 census, it had a population of 112,249...
In March 2009, the Alabama Public Service Commission announced that the new overlay
Overlay plan
In telephony, especially in North America, an overlay plan is the practice of introducing a new area code by applying it onto a geographic area that is already occupied by one or more existing area codes, resulting in two area codes serving the same area.- Methodology :Prior to the introduction of...
area code 938 would be added on top of the current 256 area code "sometime in 2011". As a result, 10-digit dialing was implemented for all numbers in the area with voluntary compliance beginning on November 7, 2009, and mandatory use by June 5, 2010 instead of dialing 7 digits until "sometime in 2011" The 938 area code took effect beginning July 10, 2010. This timing roughly coincided with the end of the originally projected 12-year "life span" of the original 256 area code.
Counties
- Calhoun CountyCalhoun County, AlabamaCalhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of John C. Calhoun, famous member of the United States Senate from South Carolina. As of 2010 the population was 118,572. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- (part, some of Calhoun County is in area code 205Area code 205205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...
) - Cherokee CountyCherokee County, AlabamaCherokee County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named for the Cherokee tribe. As of 2010 the population was 25,989. Its county seat is Centre and it is a prohibition or dry county.- History :...
- Clay CountyClay County, AlabamaClay County is a county of the US state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. As of 2010 the population was 13,932...
- Cleburne CountyCleburne County, AlabamaCleburne County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Major General Patrick Cleburne, of Arkansas. As of 2010 the population was 14,972. Its county seat is Heflin.- History :...
- Colbert CountyColbert County, AlabamaColbert County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. George Colbert operated a ferry across the Tennessee River in 1790 near present day Cherokee....
- Coosa CountyCoosa County, AlabamaCoosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name derives from a town of the Creek tribe. As of 2010 the population was 11,539, but since that time it has lost the most population by percentage of any Alabama county...
- Cullman CountyCullman County, AlabamaCullman County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel John G. Cullmann. As of 2010, the population was 80,406. Its county seat is the town of the same name, Cullman, Alabama. It is a "moist" county in terms of availablity of alcoholic beverages, which means...
- DeKalb CountyDeKalb County, AlabamaAs of the 2010 Census DeKalb County had a population of 71,109. The median age was 37.5. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 81.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.5% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander , 9.9% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or...
- Elmore CountyElmore County, AlabamaElmore County is a county of the State of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John A. Elmore. As of 2010 its population was 79,303. Its county seat is Wetumpka.This county is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
- (part, most of Elmore County is in area code 334Area code 334Area code 334 is a NANPA area code in the state of Alabama. It was created on January 15, 1995 as a split from area code 205 The 334 area code was one of the first two area codes not to take the N1X or N0X form in the North American Numbering Plan, along with Washington area code 360, which began...
) - Etowah CountyEtowah County, AlabamaEtowah County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is from the Cherokee language, which means "edible tree". It is the center of the Gadsden Metropolitan Area which includes Etowah and Cherokee Counties. As of 2010 the population was 104,430. Its county seat is Gadsden...
- (part, some of Etowah County is in area code 205Area code 205205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...
) - Franklin CountyFranklin County, AlabamaFranklin County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Benjamin Franklin, famous statesman, scientist, and printer. As of 2010, the population was 31,704...
- (part, some of Franklin County is in area code 205Area code 205205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...
) - Jackson CountyJackson County, AlabamaJackson County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Andrew Jackson, general in the United States Army and President of the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 53,227. The county seat is Scottsboro. Jackson County is a prohibition or dry county,...
- Lawrence CountyLawrence County, AlabamaLawrence County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. It was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the population was...
- Lauderdale CountyLauderdale County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*86.4% White*10.0% Black*0.4% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.4% Two or more races*2.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
- Limestone CountyLimestone County, AlabamaLimestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...
- Madison CountyMadison County, AlabamaMadison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
- Marshall CountyMarshall County, AlabamaMarshall County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of John Marshall, famous Chief Justice of the United States. As of 2010 the population was 93,019...
- Morgan CountyMorgan County, AlabamaMorgan County is the most populous county in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, and the second most populous county in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area in the U.S. State of Alabama. It was created by the Alabama Territorial legislature on February 6, 1818 from land acquired from the...
- Randolph CountyRandolph County, AlabamaRandolph County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.Its name is in honor of John Randolph, a member of the United States Senate from Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 22,913. Its county seat is Wedowee...
- (part, some of Randolph County is in area code 334Area code 334Area code 334 is a NANPA area code in the state of Alabama. It was created on January 15, 1995 as a split from area code 205 The 334 area code was one of the first two area codes not to take the N1X or N0X form in the North American Numbering Plan, along with Washington area code 360, which began...
) - Talladega CountyTalladega County, AlabamaTalladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
- (part, the Lincoln area is in area code 205Area code 205205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...
) - Tallapoosa CountyTallapoosa County, AlabamaTallapoosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The name Tallapoosa is of Creek origin, and many Indian villages were along the banks of the lower river before the 19th century. As of 2010, the population was 41,616...
- (part, some of Tallapoosa County is in area code 334Area code 334Area code 334 is a NANPA area code in the state of Alabama. It was created on January 15, 1995 as a split from area code 205 The 334 area code was one of the first two area codes not to take the N1X or N0X form in the North American Numbering Plan, along with Washington area code 360, which began...
) - Winston CountyWinston County, AlabamaWinston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, formerly known as Hancock County before 1858.Its name is in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 24,484. Its county seat is Double Springs....
- (part, most of Winston County is in area code 205Area code 205205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...
)
Cities
- AlbertvilleAlbertville, AlabamaAlbertville is a city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 21,160.- History :...
- AnnistonAnniston, AlabamaAnniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
- ArabArab, AlabamaArab is a city in both Cullman County, Alabama and Marshall County, Alabama in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama, located ten miles from Guntersville Lake and Guntersville Dam, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
- AthensAthens, AlabamaAthens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
- BoazBoaz, AlabamaBoaz is a city in Etowah and Marshall Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is part of the 'Gadsden, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area'. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 9,551. Boaz is known mainly for its outlet shops....
- DecaturDecatur, AlabamaDecatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
- FlorenceFlorence, AlabamaFlorence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
- GadsdenGadsden, AlabamaThe city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
- GuntersvilleGuntersville, AlabamaGuntersville is a city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the population of the city was 8,197. The city is the county seat of Marshall County. Guntersville is located in a HUBZone as identified by the...
- HuntsvilleHuntsville, AlabamaHuntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
- MadisonMadison, AlabamaAs of the census of 2000, there were 29,329 people, 11,143 households, and 8,067 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,266.5 people per square mile . There were 12,121 housing units at an average density of 523.4 per square mile...
- ScottsboroScottsboro, AlabamaScottsboro is a city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 14,770. Named for its founder Robert Scott, the city is the county seat of Jackson County....
See also
- List of Alabama area codes
- List of NANP area codes
- North American Numbering PlanNorth American Numbering PlanThe North American Numbering Plan is an integrated telephone numbering plan administered by Neustar which encompasses 24 countries and territories, including the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 nations of the Caribbean...
- List of area code overlays