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Area code 838

Area code 838 serves New York, including Albany, Colonie and Schenectady (Eastern time). It has been in service since September 19, 2017 and shares its area with 518.

Numbers starting with 838 drew 1,090 reports to the FTC from Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026 and 512 complaints to the FCC since November 2023. The number on your screen can be faked, so an 838 number proves nothing about where a call came from.

Location
New York(albany--Schenectady--Troy, NY Msa) and Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Time zone
Eastern
In service since
September 19, 2017Created from 518
Overlay
Same area as 518
Local calls
Dial 10 digitsArea code needed, even next door
Exchanges in use
227 of 792held by 43 carriers
Projected to run out
4Q 2061NANPA forecast 2026.2

Complaints about 838 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 838. These are counts of what people reported; the agencies do not verify them.

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

1,090

FCC complaints since November 2023

512

Different 838 numbers reported

1,482

FCC complaints naming an 838 number, by month

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

Show as a table
MonthComplaints
November 202310
December 20232
January 20247
February 20242
March 20245
April 20247
May 20245
June 202412
July 20244
August 20245
September 20244
October 202413
November 202412
December 20245
January 20255
February 202527
March 202518
April 202511
May 20259
June 202537
July 202564
August 202552
September 202571
October 20254
November 20254
December 20258
January 20266
February 202619
March 20264
April 20263
May 20267
June 202613
July 20265
August 20263
September 202617
October 202626

What people said 838 calls were about

Subjects picked in FTC reports, August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. 934 of 1,090 reports were robocalls.

Show as a table
SubjectReports
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)557
Other336
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends80
Dropped call or no message24
Warranties and protection plans9
Lotteries, prizes, and sweepstakes4

Places served by 838

NANPA lists 107 rate centers for 838. 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.
  • Albany29
  • Colonie10
  • Schenectady10
  • Johnstown9
  • Troy8
  • Hudson5
  • Amsterdam4
  • Catskill4
  • Glens Falls4
  • Hoosick Falls4
  • Athens3
  • Ballston Spa3
  • Castleton3
  • Claverack3
  • Malone3
  • Argyle2
  • Averill Park2
  • Berne2
  • Blue Mountain Lake2
  • Broadalbin2
  • Cairo2
  • Central Bridge2
  • Delanson2
  • Esperance2
Show all 107 rate centers

Fort Ann, Fort Covington, Gloversville, Greenwich, Hague, Hampton, Hillsdale, Lake Placid, Lyon Mountain, Oak Hill, Palenville, Philmont, Port Henry, Putnam, Round Lake, Salem, Saranac, Saratoga Springs, Sharon Springs, Tupper Lake, Valley Falls, Warrensburg, Whitehall, Windham, Altamont, Au Sable Forks, Berlin, Bolton Landing, Brainardsville, Cambridge, Canaan, Canajoharie, Caroga Lake, Chateaugay, Clarksville, Cobleskill, Copake, Dannemora, Elizabethtown, Ellenburg Depot, Fonda, Fort Plain, Freehold, Galway, Germantown, Granville, Greenfield Center, Greenville, Hartford, Jonesville, Kattskill Bay, Keene, Keeseville, Kinderhook, Lake George, Lake Pleasant, Lexington, Mariaville, Mechanicville, Middleburgh, Millerton, Mineville, Moira, North Creek, Paul Smiths, Peru, Pittstown, Prattsville, Richmondville, Rotterdam Junction, Saint Regis Falls, Saranac Lake, Schroon Lake, Schuylerville, South Bethlehem, Tannersville, Ticonderoga, Tribes Hill, Voorheesville, Wells, West Lebanon, Westerlo, Westport.

Phone companies holding 838 exchanges

Each exchange (the three digits after the area code) is assigned to one carrier. 96% 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 43 carriers

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

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Carrier (legal name)Exchanges
Onvoy, LLC- NY54
Fractel, LLC33
Onvoy Spectrum, LLC20
New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - DC19
Coretel New York, Inc. - NY16
Peering Hub, Inc. - NY14
Right Call LLC9
Ton80 Communications, LLC6

When today's 838 exchanges were assigned

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

Show as a table
YearExchanges
20179
20187
201933
202014
202192
202211
202315
202413
202510
202615

Check an 838 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 New York

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