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Area code 938

Area code 938 serves Alabama, including Huntsville, Cullman and Decatur (Central time). It has been in service since July 10, 2010 and shares its area with 256.

Numbers starting with 938 drew 362 reports to the FTC from Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026 and 132 complaints to the FCC since November 2023. The number on your screen can be faked, so a 938 number proves nothing about where a call came from.

Location
Alabama(birmingham, AL Msa) and Birmingham, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area
Time zone
Central
In service since
July 10, 2010Created from 256
Overlay
Same area as 256
Local calls
Dial 10 digitsArea code needed, even next door
Exchanges in use
194 of 792held by 28 carriers
Projected to run out
4Q 2042NANPA forecast 2026.2

Complaints about 938 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 938. These are counts of what people reported; the agencies do not verify them.

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

362

FCC complaints since November 2023

132

Different 938 numbers reported

455

FCC complaints naming a 938 number, by month

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

Show as a table
MonthComplaints
November 20234
December 20234
January 20242
February 20243
March 20242
April 20242
May 20243
June 20241
July 20241
August 20244
September 20247
October 20243
November 20240
December 20244
January 20251
February 20254
March 20252
April 20253
May 20257
June 20253
July 20253
August 20255
September 20257
October 20250
November 20250
December 20251
January 20265
February 20265
March 20265
April 20264
May 20262
June 20264
July 20263
August 20263
September 20267
October 202614

What people said 938 calls were about

Subjects picked in FTC reports, August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. 252 of 362 reports were robocalls.

Show as a table
SubjectReports
Other165
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)93
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends36
Dropped call or no message32
Warranties and protection plans6
Medical and prescriptions4

Places served by 938

NANPA lists 59 rate centers for 938. 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.
  • Huntsville35
  • Cullman19
  • Decatur17
  • Rogersville17
  • Scottsboro15
  • Childersburg5
  • Anniston4
  • Athens4
  • Arab3
  • Attalla3
  • Florence3
  • Hazel Green3
  • Madison3
  • Russellville3
  • Section3
  • Boaz2
  • Chulafinnee2
  • Gadsden2
  • Guntersville2
  • Hartselle2
  • Jacksonville2
  • Moulton2
  • Oden Ridge2
  • Ranburne2
Show all 59 rate centers

Red Bay, Skyline, Sylacauga, Talladega, Albertville, Alexander City, Aroney, Cedar Bluff, Collinsville, Courtland, Dadeville, Delta, Falkville, Flat Rock, Fruithurst, Goodwater, Gurley, Hanceville, Killen, Lecta, Leighton, Lexington, Massey, Ohatchee, Owens Cross Roads, Piedmont, Rainsville, Rinehart, Rockford, Sheffield, Stevenson, Town Creek, Veto, Wedowee, Whorton.

Phone companies holding 938 exchanges

Each exchange (the three digits after the area code) is assigned to one carrier. 99% 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 28 carriers

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

Show as a table
Carrier (legal name)Exchanges
New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - GA69
Onvoy, LLC - AL36
Ton80 Communications, LLC19
Fractel, LLC18
Onvoy Spectrum, LLC10
Teleport Communications America, LLC - AL6
Powertel Birmingham Licenses, Inc.5
Commio, LLC3

When today's 938 exchanges were assigned

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

Show as a table
YearExchanges
20112
20178
20181
201910
202015
202110
202220
202323
202437
202539
202628

Check a 938 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