--- title: "Area code 508: Massachusetts, United States" url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/508.md" canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/508" last_updated: "2026-10-23" type: "reference" summary: "Area code 508 serves Massachusetts, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Massachusetts." --- # Area code 508: Massachusetts, United States Area code 508 serves Massachusetts, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Massachusetts. NANPA lists 747 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 508, held by 22 holders across 94 rate centers. Verizon New England holds the most prefixes, 306 (41%). 59% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies. The FCC unwanted-call data has 3,669 complaints on file for 2,890 numbers in 508, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings. ## Facts - In service since: 1988-07-16 - Time zone: Eastern (E) - Assigned overlays: 774 (2001-05-02) - Prefixes in use: 747 - Pooled prefixes: 437 (59%) - Rate centers: 94 - Companies holding prefixes: 22 - Assignment dates on file: 2001-02-14 to 2025-11-26 (53 prefixes) - ZIP codes in its places: 131 ## Rate centers | Rate center | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | WORCESTER | 75 | 10% | | FRAMINGHAM | 67 | 9% | | BROCKTON | 37 | 5% | | FALL RIVER | 31 | 4% | | NEWBEDFORD | 31 | 4% | | MARLBORO | 27 | 4% | | NATICK | 26 | 3% | | TAUNTON | 19 | 3% | | 86 other rate centers | 434 | 58% | ## Carriers | Holder | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | Verizon New England | 306 | 41% | | Paetec Itel | 67 | 9% | | New Cingular Wireless PCS | 62 | 8% | | Level 3 Communications | 60 | 8% | | Mcimetro Access Transmission Services | 47 | 6% | | Verizon Wireless | 43 | 6% | | 16 other carriers | 162 | 22% | 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 617, named as the parent of 508 in the NANPA report, was in service. - 1988-07-16: Area code 508 went into service. - 1997-09-01: Area code 978 went into service and names 508 as its parent. - 2001-05-02: Area code 774 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 508. ## Nearest area codes The area codes closest to 508, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 339 (about 17 miles), 617 (about 18 miles), 781 (about 18 miles), 857 (about 19 miles) and 401 (about 28 miles). ## ZIP codes 131 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Worcester, MA (15 ZIP codes), Cambridge, MA (6 ZIP codes) and New Bedford, MA (6 ZIP codes). 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 3,669 complaints for 2,890 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year: - 2023: 170 - 2024: 112 - 2025: 214 ## Questions ### Where is area code 508? NANPA assigns area code 508 to Massachusetts, United States. ### In which state does area code 508 sit? Massachusetts. 508 is one of 9 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state. ### Which places does area code 508 cover? The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 508 are Worcester, MA, Cambridge, MA and New Bedford, MA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them. ### Who owns area code 508? NANPA assigns area codes. Within 508, Verizon New England holds the most prefixes, 306 prefixes or 41%. ### Which time zone does 508 use? The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 508 as Eastern (E). ### What year did 508 enter service? The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1988-07-16, so 508 has been in use since 1988. ### Does area code 508 have an overlay? Yes. 774 (in service 2001-05-02) shares the same area with 508, so numbers from all of them are local to each other. ### Which area codes are nearest to 508? The area codes closest to 508, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 339 (about 17 miles), 617 (about 18 miles), 781 (about 18 miles), 857 (about 19 miles) and 401 (about 28 miles). ### How many prefixes does area code 508 have? NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 747 prefixes in service in 508, spread over 94 rate centers and 22 holders. ### Are there complaints about 508 numbers? The FCC data on file has 3,669 complaints for 2,890 numbers in 508. 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).