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Before You Call Back

Area code 205

Area code 205 serves Alabama, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Bessemer (Central time). It has been in service since January 1, 1947 and shares its area with 659.

Numbers starting with 205 drew 2,382 reports to the FTC from Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026 and 959 complaints to the FCC since November 2023. The number on your screen can be faked, so a 205 number proves nothing about where a call came from.

Location
AlabamaBirmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area
Time zone
Central
In service since
January 1, 1947
Overlay
Same area as 659
Local calls
Dial 10 digitsArea code needed, even next door
Exchanges in use
785 of 792held by 52 carriers
Projected to run out
4Q 2073NANPA forecast 2026.2

Complaints about 205 numbers

Reports where the number on the consumer's caller ID (or, for the FCC, the number the caller asked them to call back) starts with 205. These are counts of what people reported; the agencies do not verify them.

FTC reports, Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026

2,382

FCC complaints since November 2023

959

Different 205 numbers reported

3,089

FCC complaints naming a 205 number, by month

November 2023 to October 2026. Source: FCC Consumer Complaints Data.

Show as a table
MonthComplaints
November 202310
December 202313
January 202412
February 20247
March 20249
April 20248
May 202420
June 202414
July 202420
August 202425
September 202418
October 202424
November 202426
December 202421
January 202518
February 202525
March 202519
April 202518
May 202529
June 202523
July 202526
August 202528
September 202516
October 20251
November 202513
December 202518
January 202650
February 2026100
March 202673
April 202653
May 202627
June 202644
July 202644
August 202642
September 202635
October 202620

What people said 205 calls were about

Subjects picked in FTC reports, August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. 1,696 of 2,382 reports were robocalls.

Show as a table
SubjectReports
Other885
Dropped call or no message530
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends317
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)251
Medical and prescriptions191
Warranties and protection plans26

Most reported 205 numbers

Numbers with at least five reports from three or more places in the last twelve months. Many of them are likely spoofed.

Places served by 205

NANPA lists 71 rate centers for 205. A rate center is the town or district a block of numbers is tied to for billing; sorted here by how many exchanges each holds.
  • Birmingham370
  • Tuscaloosa69
  • Bessemer31
  • Jasper21
  • Alabaster19
  • Clanton13
  • Pell City11
  • Eutaw9
  • Gardendale9
  • Leeds9
  • Pinson9
  • Butler8
  • Dora8
  • Centreville7
  • Livingston (sumter)7
  • Carbon Hill6
  • Chelsea6
  • Columbiana6
  • Fayette6
  • Graysville6
  • Haleyville6
  • Montevallo6
  • Oneonta6
  • Warrior6
Show all 71 rate centers

Calera, Hamilton, Lincoln, Springville, Trussville, Vincent, West Blocton, Winfield, York, Carrollton, Cordova, Double Springs, Guin, Parrish, Reform, Vernon, Aliceville, Ashville, Berry, Jemison, Panola, Thorsby, Blountsville, Brilliant, Ethelsville, Flatwood, Gordo, Hackleburg, Lisman, Moundville, Odenville, Phil Campbell, Ragland, Snead, Sulligent, Surfside, Walnut Grove, Detroit, Kennedy, Lynn, Millport, Nauvoo, Nectar, Needham, Oakman, Pennington, Xxxxxxxxxx.

Phone companies holding 205 exchanges

Each exchange (the three digits after the area code) is assigned to one carrier. 65% of these exchanges are pooled: their numbers are handed out in blocks of 1,000 to other carriers, so the holder below is not always the company serving a given number.

Exchanges held, top 8 of 52 carriers

NANPA central office code assignments, file of November 11, 2026.

Show as a table
Carrier (legal name)Exchanges
Bellsouth Telecomm Inc dba South Central Bell Tel223
New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - GA92
Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless - AL84
Paetec Itel, LLC53
Powertel Birmingham Licenses, Inc.42
Brightspeed of Alabama, LLC - Northern35
Metropcs, Inc.33
Onvoy, LLC - AL31

When today's 205 exchanges were assigned

Exchanges still assigned, by year of assignment. Exchanges returned since are not counted.

Show as a table
YearExchanges
200127
200228
200311
20046
200512
200611
20079
200813
200910
20104
201112
20129
20136
201411
201510
201618
201720
201821
201923
202013
20222
20234
20241
20251

Check a 205 number

A check shows the carrier and rate center of the number's exchange and every FTC and FCC report about that exact number. Why the number on screen can be fake.

Other area codes in Alabama

NANPA area code database and central office code file of November 11, 2026; FCC complaints November 1, 2023 to November 11, 2026; FTC reports August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. How the data is used.

Official sources (7)Show