---
title: "Area code 979: Texas, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/979.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/979"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 979 serves Texas, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Texas."
---

# Area code 979: Texas, United States

Area code 979 serves Texas, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Texas.

NANPA lists 411 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 979, held by 49 holders across 55 rate centers.
Southwestern Bell holds the most prefixes, 58 (14%). 77% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 1,810 complaints on file for 1,310 numbers in 979, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 2000-02-19
- Time zone: Central (C)
- Prefixes in use: 411
- Pooled prefixes: 316 (77%)
- Rate centers: 55
- Companies holding prefixes: 49
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-02-08 to 2026-06-05 (192 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 50

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BRYAN | 86 | 21% |
| ANGLETON | 28 | 7% |
| FREEPORT | 20 | 5% |
| BRENHAM | 19 | 5% |
| CLTLKJCKSN | 19 | 5% |
| BAY CITY | 17 | 4% |
| EL CAMPO | 14 | 3% |
| LA GRANGE | 11 | 3% |
| 47 other rate centers | 197 | 48% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Southwestern Bell | 58 | 14% |
| Frontier Comm Of Texas | 54 | 13% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 47 | 11% |
| Level 3 Communications | 30 | 7% |
| Aerial Communications | 29 | 7% |
| Texas Communications | 24 | 6% |
| 43 other carriers | 169 | 41% |

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

- 1982-11-01: Area code 409, named as the parent of 979 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 2000-02-19: Area code 979 went into service.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 979, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 713 (about 52 miles), 281 (about 53 miles), 346 (about 53 miles), 832 (about 53 miles) and 512 (about 93 miles).

## ZIP codes

50 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Bryan, TX (7 ZIP codes), Angleton, TX (2 ZIP codes) and Bay City, TX (2 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

1,810 complaints for 1,310 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 167
- 2024: 110
- 2025: 63

## Questions

### Where is area code 979?

NANPA assigns area code 979 to Texas, United States.

### In which state does area code 979 sit?

Texas. 979 is one of 29 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 979 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 979 are Bryan, TX, Angleton, TX and Bay City, TX. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 979?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 979, Southwestern Bell holds the most prefixes, 58 prefixes or 14%.

### Which time zone does 979 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 979 as Central (C).

### What year did 979 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 2000-02-19, so 979 has been in use since 2000.

### Does area code 979 have an overlay?

The NANPA NPA report lists no other area code in an overlay with 979.

### Which area codes are nearest to 979?

The area codes closest to 979, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 713 (about 52 miles), 281 (about 53 miles), 346 (about 53 miles), 832 (about 53 miles) and 512 (about 93 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 979 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 411 prefixes in service in 979, spread over 55 rate centers and 49 holders.

### Are there complaints about 979 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 1,810 complaints for 1,310 numbers in 979. 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).