659 Area Code
| State: | Alabama |
| Top City: | Birmingham |
| Timezone | Central |
| Current Time: |
Where is Area Code 659 located?
Area code 659 is located in the state of Alabama, in the United States. It is an overlay area code that covers the same geographic area as area code 205, which includes the western and central parts of the state.
Area code 659 was created in October 2019 to provide more numbering options for the growing population and demand for phone services in the region.
659 Area Code Time Zone
Area code 659 follows the Central Time Zone, which is also known as America/Chicago.
History of 659 Area Code
Area code 659 is one of the newest area codes in the United States. It was officially assigned by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) on October 8, 2018, and became effective on October 12, 2019.
Area code 659 was created as an overlay area code for area code 205, which was one of the original area codes established in 1947. Area code 205 originally covered the entire state of Alabama but was split several times over the years to accommodate the increasing demand for phone numbers.
In 1995, area code 334 was created to serve the southern part of the state, and in 1998, area code 256 was created to serve the northern and eastern parts of the state.
As a result of these splits, area code 205 was reduced to cover only the western and central parts of Alabama, including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. However, due to the rapid growth of these areas and the proliferation of cell phones, fax machines, internet connections, and other communication devices, area code 205 was projected to run out of numbers by 2020.
Therefore, NANPA decided to implement an overlay plan for area code 205, which would add a new area code (659) to serve the same region without changing any existing numbers.
The implementation of area code 659 required mandatory ten-digit dialing for all calls within and between area codes 205 and 659, as well as calls to other area codes. This means that callers have to dial the area code plus the seven-digit local number for every call, even if they are calling within the same area code. This change was intended to minimize confusion and ensure a smooth transition for customers and businesses.
Top 10 Counties in Area Code 659
| County | Population |
| Jefferson County | 658,573 |
| Shelby County | 221,428 |
| St. Clair County | 90,161 |
| Walker County | 63,521 |
| Blount County | 58,013 |
| Bibb County | 22,643 |
| Chilton County | 44,428 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 209,355 |
| Talladega County | 79,978 |
| Coosa County | 10,663 |
Top 10 Cities in Area Code 659
| City | Population |
| Alabaster | 33,202 |
| Bessemer | 26,386 |
| Birmingham | 212,237 |
| Helena | 18,673 |
| Hoover | 85,108 |
| Hueytown | 15,460 |
| Jasper | 13,857 |
| Northport | 26,115 |
| Pelham | 23,493 |
| Tuscaloosa | 101,113 |
Top Telephone Carriers
| Landline | Wireless |
| AT&T | Verizon |
| Verizon | AT&T |
| CenturyLink | T-Mobile |
| Frontier Communications | Sprint (now merged with T-Mobile) |
| Windstream | US Cellular |