Area code 256: where it is and who calls from it
Area code 256 is in Alabama.
Alabama (Huntsville, Decatur, Cullman, Gadsden, Madison, Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Fort Payne, Scottsboro, and most of northern Alabama)
| Where | Alabama |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Central Time ยท local time |
| In service since | 1998 |
| Overlay | Yes, with 938 |
| Prefixes assigned | 786 of 792 possible (99%) |
Overlay: 256 covers the same area as 938. Overlay areas use 10-digit dialing, so a seven-digit number alone won't connect, and neighbors can have different area codes.
Where 256 numbers started
Every prefix is assigned to a rate center, the local calling area it was set up in. These are the biggest in 256, with how many prefixes each has.
Plus 30 smaller rate centers.
Who holds 256 numbers
- Mobile carrier 35%
- Local phone company 31%
- Internet / business phone carrier 26%
- Paging service 1%
- Phone company 7%
| Carrier | Type | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T (local phone) | Local phone company | 189 | 24% |
| AT&T Mobility | Mobile carrier | 114 | 15% |
| Verizon Wireless | Mobile carrier | 84 | 11% |
| Windstream (PAETEC) | Internet / business phone carrier | 58 | 7% |
| T-Mobile (including Sprint) | Mobile carrier | 50 | 6% |
| Level 3 (Lumen) | Internet / business phone carrier | 42 | 5% |
| Onvoy | Internet / business phone carrier | 37 | 5% |
| MetroPCS (T-Mobile) | Mobile carrier | 24 | 3% |
| CenturyLink / Lumen | Local phone company | 18 | 2% |
| Brightspeed Of Alabama, LLC - Northern | Local phone company | 16 | 2% |
Most prefixes are pooled: the 10,000 numbers in each are handed out in blocks of 1,000 to different carriers, and people can also take their numbers to another carrier. So the carrier shown is where the prefix started, not a guarantee about any one number.
States served: Alabama.
Other area codes in Alabama
Got a call from 256?
An area code tells you where a number was first assigned, not where the caller is. People keep their numbers when they move, and scammers can fake any number. If you weren't expecting the call, let it go to voicemail.
If the call shows a 256 number that matches the first six digits of your own, that's often neighbor spoofing. Use the box above to check the full number.
Area code facts from the NANPA area code database (updated 10/06/2026); prefixes and carriers from NANPA's central office code records (updated 2026-10-10). Place description adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.