--- title: "Area code 938: Alabama, United States" url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/938.md" canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/938" last_updated: "2026-10-23" type: "reference" summary: "Area code 938 serves Alabama, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Alabama." --- # Area code 938: Alabama, United States Area code 938 serves Alabama, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Alabama. NANPA lists 180 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 938, held by 26 holders across 55 rate centers. New Cingular Wireless PCS holds the most prefixes, 63 (35%). 99% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies. The FCC unwanted-call data has 205 complaints on file for 184 numbers in 938, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings. ## Facts - In service since: 2010-07-10 - Time zone: Central (C) - Assigned overlays: 256 (1998-03-23) - Prefixes in use: 180 - Pooled prefixes: 178 (99%) - Rate centers: 55 - Companies holding prefixes: 26 - Assignment dates on file: 2011-02-02 to 2026-07-22 (179 prefixes) - ZIP codes in its places: 91 ## Rate centers | Rate center | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | HUNTSVILLE | 31 | 17% | | CULLMAN | 19 | 11% | | DECATUR | 16 | 9% | | ROGERSVL | 14 | 8% | | SCOTTSBORO | 13 | 7% | | CHILDERSBG | 5 | 3% | | ANNISTON | 4 | 2% | | ATHENS | 4 | 2% | | 47 other rate centers | 74 | 41% | ## Carriers | Holder | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | New Cingular Wireless PCS | 63 | 35% | | Onvoy | 34 | 19% | | Ton80 Communications | 19 | 11% | | Fractel | 18 | 10% | | Onvoy Spectrum | 10 | 6% | | Powertel Birmingham Licenses | 5 | 3% | | 20 other carriers | 31 | 17% | 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 - 1998-03-23: Area code 256, named as the parent of 938 in the NANPA report, was in service. - 2010-07-10: Area code 938 went into service. ## Nearest area codes The area codes closest to 938, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 205 (about 70 miles), 659 (about 70 miles), 931 (about 93 miles), 615 (about 124 miles) and 629 (about 124 miles). ## ZIP codes 91 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Huntsville, AL (24 ZIP codes), Anniston, AL (6 ZIP codes) and Gadsden, AL (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 205 complaints for 184 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year: - 2023: 20 - 2024: 20 - 2025: 20 ## Questions ### Where is area code 938? NANPA assigns area code 938 to Alabama, United States. ### In which state does area code 938 sit? Alabama. 938 is one of 7 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state. ### Which places does area code 938 cover? The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 938 are Huntsville, AL, Anniston, AL and Gadsden, AL. The rate center list on this page shows all of them. ### Who owns area code 938? NANPA assigns area codes. Within 938, New Cingular Wireless PCS holds the most prefixes, 63 prefixes or 35%. ### Which time zone does 938 use? The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 938 as Central (C). ### What year did 938 enter service? The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 2010-07-10, so 938 has been in use since 2010. ### Does area code 938 have an overlay? Yes. 256 (in service 1998-03-23) shares the same area with 938, so numbers from all of them are local to each other. ### Which area codes are nearest to 938? The area codes closest to 938, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 205 (about 70 miles), 659 (about 70 miles), 931 (about 93 miles), 615 (about 124 miles) and 629 (about 124 miles). ### How many prefixes does area code 938 have? NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 180 prefixes in service in 938, spread over 55 rate centers and 26 holders. ### Are there complaints about 938 numbers? The FCC data on file has 205 complaints for 184 numbers in 938. 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).