Area codes 208 and 986

Last updated
Area codes in Idaho. Area codes ID.png
Area codes in Idaho.

Area codes 208 and 986 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for all of Idaho. Area code 208 is one of the 86 original North American area codes designated by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) in 1947. It was Idaho's sole area code for seventy years. In 2017, 986 was added to the same numbering plan area in creating an overlay complex.

Contents

History

Because of its small population, Idaho was among a declining number of North American jurisdictions with only one area code. It is also one of the few whole-state area codes split between multiple LATAs—Southern Idaho (centered in Boise and spilling into Nevada, Wyoming and Malheur County, Oregon) and Coeur d'Alene (spilling into Montana and Washington). Additionally, the Spokane, Washington LATA spills into central Idaho.

In 2001, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) projected that demand would exhaust the numbering pool of area code 208 in 2003. The number shortage was a result of the proliferation of landlines, cellphones, and pagers, particularly in urban areas, in the 1990s. However, in 2002 the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) successfully delayed a split by implementing number pooling in Boise; this was later applied in 2007 to the rest of Idaho to stave off projected exhaustion in 2010. [1]

In the summer of 2013, NANPA projections suggested exhaustion in 2018. By this time all conservation measures had been exhausted. With Idaho's population growing closer to two million, a second area code became necessary; eleven other states with single area codes all have populations of about one million each. Ultimately, a statewide overlay was recommended. [2] This would have had the effect of assigning 15.6 million numbers to a state of just over 1.7 million people. However, the Idaho PUC wanted to spare Idahoans, particularly in rural areas, the expense and burden of having to change their numbers. An area code split would have also required reprogramming of all cell phones. In the overlay plan, subscribers keep their original area code.

On November 2, 2015, the Idaho PUC approved the addition of area code 986 as a statewide overlay. 986 officially entered service on November 5, 2016. On that date, a permissive dialing period began during which it was possible to make calls with either seven or ten digits. Ten-digit dialing became mandatory across Idaho on August 5, 2017. [3] [4] [5] 986 is the second statewide overlay, following the example of area codes 304 and 681 in West Virginia in 2009.

Service area and central office codes

CitiesArea code 208
prefixes		Area code 986
prefixes
Aberdeen 328, 397242
Albion 638, 654, 673588, 899
American Falls 220, 226, 269, 548245
Arbon 335842
Arco 527, 767732
Arimo 705, 708, 760, 904
Ashton 652926
Bancroft 648, 776
Bayview 216, 222, 561, 683300
Bellevue 578, 788
Bern 847, 945382
Blackfoot 346, 604, 643, 680, 681, 684, 690, 782, 785, 980233
Blanchard 213, 437258
Bliss 352
Boise 202, 207, 246, 258, 272, 275, 283, 284, 296, 302, 314, 319, 321, 322, 323, 327, 331, 332, 333, 334, 336, 338, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 348, 350, 353, 362, 363, 364, 367, 368, 370, 371, 373, 375, 376, 377, 378, 381, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 391, 393, 395, 396, 407, 409, 422, 424, 426, 429, 433, 440, 447, 472, 473, 474, 475, 484, 488, 489, 492, 493, 501, 505, 506, 509, 513, 514, 515, 519, 559, 562, 563, 565, 570, 571, 573, 576, 577, 579, 593, 600, 602, 605, 608, 609, 616, 617, 629, 639, 658, 672, 685, 703, 713, 724, 761, 780, 789, 794, 801, 803, 805, 807, 809, 810, 813, 830, 841, 850, 853, 854, 859, 860, 861, 863, 866, 867, 869, 872, 890, 891, 900, 901, 906, 908, 912, 914, 917, 918, 919, 921, 938, 939, 941, 947, 949, 954, 957, 963, 968, 971, 972, 982, 985, 986, 991, 992, 994, 995, 996, 999200, 210, 213, 217, 224, 226, 229, 230, 236, 256, 268, 269, 270, 273, 279, 280, 283, 287, 666, 793, 837, 867, 888, 895, 910, 986, 999
Bonners Ferry 295253, 348
Bruneau 759, 828, 832, 845223
Buhl 490, 543
Burley 219, 261, 312, 430, 572, 647, 650, 654, 670, 677, 678, 808, 831313
Caldwell 402, 453, 454, 455, 459, 504, 614, 649, 779, 795201, 204, 276, 286
Cambridge 257250
Carey 823642
Careywood 222
Carmen 394526
Cascade 382, 408400, 640
Castleford 537
Challis 879455
Clark Fork 222, 266671
Clayton 838982
Clifton 747
Coeur d'Alene 208, 209, 210, 215, 277, 292, 415, 416, 444, 446, 449, 470, 500, 508, 551, 601, 618, 619, 620, 625, 640, 641, 651, 659, 660, 661, 664, 665, 666, 667, 676, 691, 699, 704, 714, 719, 755, 758, 763, 765, 769, 770, 771, 797, 819, 889, 905, 916, 929, 930, 956, 964, 966, 967, 981215, 240, 244, 248, 257, 271, 281, 668, 810, 860, 896
Coolin 443254
Corral 653, 764336
Cottonwood 502, 517, 962
Council 253422
Craigmont 924, 925566
Culdesac 836
Dayton 747
Deary 826, 877500, 758
Declo 349, 638
Desmet 268, 274, 668, 951203, 214, 265
Dietrich 544, 886
Donnelly 325, 382, 630, 634227, 686
Downey 897
Driggs 354, 399, 491
Dubois 374, 560
Eden 825, 829
Elk City 842
Ellis 894755
Emmett 365, 369, 398, 477, 817212, 278, 777
Fairfield 764336
Felt 456
Ferdinand 925
Filer 316, 326, 595, 613, 208-751, 933, 944, 948220
Firth 346
Franklin 646
Fruitland 294, 452, 510, 566, 674, 707, 729237, 272
Garden City 321, 322, 323, 327, 373, 375, 376, 377, 378, 658, 672, 685, 853, 854
Garden Valley 462, 923
Genesee 224, 285, 581
Geneva 225
Gibbonsville 394526
Glenns Ferry 366
Gooding 934, 961, 969
Grace 425, 427, 530, 540, 547
Grand View 834, 990
Grangeville 451, 494, 507, 983689
Greencreek 502, 517, 962
Hagerman 837
Hailey 205, 309, 450, 471, 481, 578, 622, 720, 721, 725, 726, 727, 788, 806
Hamer 662388
Harrison 231, 689, 902, 987255
Hayden 518, 762, 772
Heyburn 438, 654, 679
Holbrook 698546
Homedale 337, 974
Hope 264, 266946
Horseshoe Bend 781, 793218
Idaho City 392
Idaho Falls 200, 201, 206, 227, 243, 313, 403, 419, 497, 516, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 528, 529, 533, 534, 535, 541, 542, 552, 557, 569, 607, 701, 709, 710, 715, 757, 818, 821, 881, 932, 970, 973208, 219, 231, 249, 275, 497, 800
Indian Valley 253, 256746
Inkom 705, 708, 760, 775, 904
Irwin 270, 483, 499465
Island Park 558426
Jerome 316, 320, 324, 329, 595, 644, 751, 933, 944, 948
Juliaetta 276, 289
Kamiah 702, 820, 935261
Kellogg 512, 783, 784, 786
Kendrick 289289
Ketchum 309, 450, 471, 481, 622, 720, 721, 725, 726, 727, 806, 913209
Kimberly 420, 421, 423
Kooskia 802, 926636
Kuna 922
Lapwai 224, 621, 804, 836, 843, 927
Lava Hot Springs 776
Leadore 768246
Lewiston 224, 298, 299, 305, 413, 503, 553, 717, 743, 746, 748, 750, 790, 791, 792, 798, 799, 816, 848, 984252
Lowman 259, 864247, 482
Mackay 588782
Malad City 766, 815
Malta 638, 645, 671, 824243, 899
Marsing 896225
May 876334
McCall 315, 469, 630, 632, 634, 849
McCammon 254, 705, 708, 760, 776, 904
Medimont 689, 902
Melba 204, 495, 856207
Meridian 288, 401, 412, 631, 695, 706, 822, 846, 855, 870, 871, 884, 887, 888, 893, 895, 898, 955
Mesa 253
Middleton 585
Midvale 355, 592
Monteview 657542
Montpelier 847, 945382
Moore 554
Moscow 301, 310, 596, 669, 874, 882, 883, 885, 892, 997251, 600
Mountain Home 580, 587, 590, 591, 598, 599, 696, 796, 828, 832, 868, 943232, 466
Mountain Home AFB 796, 828, 832
Moyie Springs 267
Mullan 744259
Murphy 583874
Murtaugh 218, 432
Nampa 249, 250, 318, 442, 461, 463, 465, 466, 467, 468, 498, 546, 586, 606, 615, 697, 800, 880, 899, 910, 936, 960, 965, 989206, 216, 266, 274, 282,
Naples 267
New Meadows 347, 630, 634886
New Plymouth 278, 566, 674, 707, 953267, 272
Nezperce 937264
Nordman 443254
North Fork 394526
Oakley 862646, 922
Oldtown 213, 437258
Orofino 400, 476, 827866
Parma 203, 566, 674, 707, 722272, 786, 980
Paul 438, 532, 679346, 366
Payette 230, 291, 405, 642, 739, 740, 741, 812239, 942
Peak 486263
Pierce 464, 942234, 900
Pinehurst 682
Pingree 328
Placerville 392218
Plummer 231, 273, 274, 686, 987203, 214, 241, 255
Pocatello 221, 223, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 244, 251, 252, 281, 282, 317, 339, 380, 406, 417, 478, 589, 637, 775, 833, 909, 915
Post Falls 262, 457, 773, 777
Potlatch 268, 668, 858, 875, 951265, 333
Preston 646, 840, 851, 852
Priest River 213, 428, 437, 448238, 258
Princeton 858
Rathdrum 687, 712
Reubens 836, 925
Rexburg 351, 356, 359, 360, 390, 496, 656, 716
Richfield 487529
Rigby 745, 754222, 277
Riggins 628766
Ririe 538
Roberts 228
Rockland 335, 548245, 842
Rogerson 655, 857342
Rupert 260, 300, 431, 434, 436, 438, 531, 532, 679, 878, 931366, 742
St. Anthony 372, 612, 624582
St. Charles 945382
St. Maries 245, 568, 582241, 262
Salmon 303, 742, 756, 865, 940, 993
Sandpoint 217, 255, 263, 265, 290, 304, 597, 610, 627, 920, 946205
Shelley 346, 357
Shoshone 544, 886
Soda Springs 530, 540, 547
Spencer 374, 560, 778326
Spirit Lake 623345
Stanley 594, 774
Star 286
Sugar City 372, 612582
Swan Valley 270, 483
Sweet 584218, 444
Tensed 268, 273, 951203, 214
Terreton 663
Teton 372, 458, 612582
Tetonia 456
Thatcher 425, 427
Troy 289, 835
Twin Falls 212, 280, 293, 308, 316, 358, 404, 410, 539, 595, 655, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 749, 751, 814, 933, 944, 948
Victor 787
Viola 668, 858265
Wallace 556, 752, 753
Wayan 564, 574, 675, 688, 873, 998677
Weippe 435260
Weiser 414, 549, 550, 718, 907221
Wendell 536
Weston 646, 747
White Bird 839
Wilder 482386
Worley 231, 273, 902, 987241, 255
Yellow Pine 633, 636641

See also

Idaho area codes: 208/986
North: 250/778/236/672, 406
West: 541/458, 509 208/986 East: 307, 406
South: 435, 775
Montana area codes: 406
Wyoming area codes: 307
Utah area codes: 385/801, 435
Nevada area codes: 702/725, 775
Oregon area codes: 503/971, 541/458
Washington area codes: 206, 253, 360, 425, 509, 564
British Columbia area codes: 250, 604, 236/257/672/778

References

  1. ↑ PUC orders "number pooling" to delay new area code Archived June 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 30, 2008
  2. ↑ Saunders, Emilie Ritter. "Your Next Idaho Phone Number Might Not Start With 208", Boise State Public Radio, June 18, 2013. (accessed February 21, 2015)
  3. ↑ "Idaho's second area code approved". KTVB.COM. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  4. ↑ "IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF NEUSTAR, INC. FOR APPROVAL OF NPA RELIEF PLAN FOR THE 208 AREA CODE" (PDF). Idaho PUC official website. Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  5. ↑ NANPA PL-490

45°N114°W / 45°N 114°W / 45; -114

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.