--- title: "Area code 279: California, United States" url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/279.md" canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/279" last_updated: "2026-10-23" type: "reference" summary: "Area code 279 serves California, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in California." --- # Area code 279: California, United States Area code 279 serves California, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in California. NANPA lists 147 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 279, held by 25 holders across 16 rate centers. Fractel holds the most prefixes, 36 (24%). 100% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies. The FCC unwanted-call data has 236 complaints on file for 220 numbers in 279, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings. ## Facts - In service since: 2018-03-10 - Time zone: Pacific (P) - Assigned overlays: 916 (1947-01-01) - Prefixes in use: 147 - Pooled prefixes: 147 (100%) - Rate centers: 16 - Companies holding prefixes: 25 - Assignment dates on file: 2018-01-17 to 2026-06-16 (141 prefixes) - ZIP codes in its places: 11 ## Rate centers | Rate center | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | SCRM MAIN | 44 | 30% | | SCRM NORTH | 25 | 17% | | FOLSOM | 16 | 11% | | ELK GROVE | 12 | 8% | | RSVL MAIN | 11 | 7% | | FAIR OAKS | 7 | 5% | | SO PLACER | 6 | 4% | | LINCOLN | 5 | 3% | | 8 other rate centers | 21 | 14% | ## Carriers | Holder | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | Fractel | 36 | 24% | | Onvoy | 35 | 24% | | T-Mobile USA | 15 | 10% | | New Cingular Wireless PCS | 13 | 9% | | Bandwidth.com CLEC | 7 | 5% | | Commio | 4 | 3% | | 19 other carriers | 37 | 25% | A prefix holder is the company a code was assigned to, not necessarily a number's current carrier, because numbers can be ported to another company. ## History - 1947-01-01: Area code 916, named as the parent of 279 in the NANPA report, was in service. - 2018-03-10: Area code 279 went into service. ## Nearest area codes The area codes closest to 279, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 925 (about 55 miles), 350 (about 56 miles), 341 (about 66 miles), 510 (about 66 miles) and 415 (about 74 miles). ## ZIP codes 11 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Elk Grove, CA (4 ZIP codes), Folsom, CA (2 ZIP codes) and Courtland, CA (1 ZIP code). A ZIP code and an area code are unrelated systems, so a ZIP code can sit in more than one area code and an area code spans many ZIP codes. ## Complaints on file 236 complaints for 220 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year: - 2023: 22 - 2024: 47 - 2025: 23 ## Questions ### Where is area code 279? NANPA assigns area code 279 to California, United States. ### In which state does area code 279 sit? California. 279 is one of 41 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state. ### Which places does area code 279 cover? The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 279 are Elk Grove, CA, Folsom, CA and Courtland, CA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them. ### Who owns area code 279? NANPA assigns area codes. Within 279, Fractel holds the most prefixes, 36 prefixes or 24%. ### Which time zone does 279 use? The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 279 as Pacific (P). ### What year did 279 enter service? The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 2018-03-10, so 279 has been in use since 2018. ### Does area code 279 have an overlay? Yes. 916 (in service 1947-01-01) shares the same area with 279, so numbers from all of them are local to each other. ### Which area codes are nearest to 279? The area codes closest to 279, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 925 (about 55 miles), 350 (about 56 miles), 341 (about 66 miles), 510 (about 66 miles) and 415 (about 74 miles). ### How many prefixes does area code 279 have? NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 147 prefixes in service in 279, spread over 16 rate centers and 25 holders. ### Are there complaints about 279 numbers? The FCC data on file has 236 complaints for 220 numbers in 279. They are unverified consumer reports. A number with no complaints on file is not proven safe. Sources: NANPA central office code report dated 2026-10-17; NANPA NPA report dated 2026-10-18; FCC unwanted-call complaints, data fetched 2026-10-17; ZIP code places from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).