---
title: "Area code 980: North Carolina, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/980.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/980"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 980 serves North Carolina, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in North Carolina."
---

# Area code 980: North Carolina, United States

Area code 980 serves North Carolina, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in North Carolina.

NANPA lists 457 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 980, held by 52 holders across 57 rate centers.
The largest rate center is CHARLOTTE, with 194 prefixes (42%).
Onvoy holds the most prefixes, 83 (18%). 98% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 1,856 complaints on file for 1,325 numbers in 980, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 2001-04-01
- Time zone: Eastern (E)
- Assigned overlays: 704 (1947-01-01)
- Prefixes in use: 457
- Pooled prefixes: 450 (98%)
- Rate centers: 57
- Companies holding prefixes: 52
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-23 to 2026-06-26 (428 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 132

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CHARLOTTE | 194 | 42% |
| CONCORD | 25 | 5% |
| GASTONIA | 22 | 5% |
| MONROE | 17 | 4% |
| LINCOLNTON | 12 | 3% |
| SALISBURY | 12 | 3% |
| STATESVL | 10 | 2% |
| MATTHEWS | 8 | 2% |
| 49 other rate centers | 157 | 34% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Onvoy | 83 | 18% |
| Verizon Wireless | 61 | 13% |
| T-Mobile USA | 48 | 11% |
| Bandwidth.com CLEC | 38 | 8% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 25 | 5% |
| Southern Bell Tel & Tel | 21 | 5% |
| 46 other carriers | 181 | 40% |

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 704, named as the parent of 980 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 2001-04-01: Area code 980 went into service.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 980, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 336 (about 72 miles), 743 (about 74 miles), 828 (about 89 miles), 803 (about 91 miles) and 839 (about 91 miles).

## ZIP codes

132 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Charlotte, NC (74 ZIP codes), Gastonia, NC (5 ZIP codes) and Salisbury, NC (4 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

1,856 complaints for 1,325 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 62
- 2024: 108
- 2025: 180

## Questions

### Where is area code 980?

NANPA assigns area code 980 to North Carolina, United States.

### In which state does area code 980 sit?

North Carolina. 980 is one of 10 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 980 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 980 are Charlotte, NC, Gastonia, NC and Salisbury, NC. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 980?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 980, Onvoy holds the most prefixes, 83 prefixes or 18%.

### Which time zone does 980 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 980 as Eastern (E).

### What year did 980 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 2001-04-01, so 980 has been in use since 2001.

### Does area code 980 have an overlay?

Yes. 704 (in service 1947-01-01) shares the same area with 980, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 980?

The area codes closest to 980, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 336 (about 72 miles), 743 (about 74 miles), 828 (about 89 miles), 803 (about 91 miles) and 839 (about 91 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 980 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 457 prefixes in service in 980, spread over 57 rate centers and 52 holders.

### Are there complaints about 980 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 1,856 complaints for 1,325 numbers in 980. 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).