Area codes 208 and 986 are the area codes in the

North American Numbering Plan The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a telephone numbering plan for twenty-five regions in twenty countries, primarily in North America and the Caribbean. This group is historically known as World Zone 1 and has the international callin ...

for all of

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

. Area code 208 is one of the 86 original area codes created by

AT&T AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile te ...

in 1947. It was Idaho's sole area code until 2017, when 986 was added as an

overlay plan Overlay may refer to: Computers * Overlay network, a computer network which is built on top of another network * Hardware overlay, one type of video overlay that uses memory dedicated to the application *Another term for exec, replacing one proce ...

for the entire state. 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 Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown area' ...

and spilling into

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

and Malheur County, Oregon) and Coeur d'Alene (spilling into

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

and

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

). Additionally, the

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Canada ...

LATA spills into central Idaho. In 2001, the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

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 The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is a public utilities commission, a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates investor-owned or privately owned utilities that provide gas, water, electricity, or telephone service for profit in the U.S. state ...

(IPUC) successfully delayed a split by implementing

number pooling Number pooling is a method of reallocating telephony numbering space in the North American Numbering Plan, primarily in growth areas in the United States. Instead of allocating blocks of ten thousand numbers to each carrier in each community, a bl ...

in Boise; this was later applied in 2007 to the rest of Idaho to stave off projected exhaustion in 2010.PUC orders "number pooling" to delay new area code
Accessed January 30, 2008 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.Saunders, Emilie Ritter
"Your Next Idaho Phone Number Might Not Start With 208"

Boise State Public Radio Boise State Public Radio is a broadcast service of Boise State University, which operates four programming services on several radio stations throughout central and southern Idaho and northern Nevada. Stations and services KBSU-FM in Boise, Ida ...

, 2013-06-18. (accessed 2015-02-21) 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 ''en masse'' reprogramming of cell phones. In the overlay plan, subscribers with numbers in the original area code can keep it. 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 (the latter with the area code first). Ten-digit dialing became mandatory across Idaho on August 5, 2017; failure to dial the area code caused an intercept message as reminder.NANPA PL-490
/ref> 986 is the second statewide overlay, following the example of area codes 304 and 681 in

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

List of exchanges

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

(208) 397 844 *

Albion Albion is an alternative name for Great Britain. The oldest attestation of the toponym comes from the Greek language. It is sometimes used poetically and generally to refer to the island, but is less common than 'Britain' today. The name for Scot ...

(208) 654 673 *

American Falls The American Falls is the second-largest of the three waterfalls that together are known as Niagara Falls on the Niagara River along the Canada–U.S. border. Unlike the much larger Horseshoe Falls, of which approximately 90% is in Ontari ...

(208) 220 226 269 *

Arco ARCO ( ) is a brand of gasoline stations currently owned by Marathon Petroleum after BP sold its rights. BP commercializes the brand in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, while Marathon has rights for the rest of the United States an ...

(208) 527 * Ashton (208) 652 * Blackfoot (208) 604 643 680 681 684 690 782 785 789 *

(208) 202 229 246 247 248 258 272 275 279 283 284 286 287 288 297 302 319 321 322 323 327 330 331 332 333 334 336 338 340 341 342 343 344 345 348 350 353 361 362 363 364 367 368 371 373 375 376 377 378 379 381 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 391 392 393 395 396 401 407 409 412 422 424 426 429 433 439 440 441 445 447 460 472 473 474 484 485 488 489 492 493 514 515 545 559 562 567 570 571 573 575 577 581 602 608 629 631 639 658 672 685 692 693 694 695 703 706 713 723 724 728 730 761 780 789 794 822 830 841 846 850 853 854 855 859 860 861 863 866 867 869 870 871 880 884 887 888 890 891 893 895 898 901 906 908 914 917 918 919 921 922 938 939 941 947 949 954 955 957 968 975 977 978 979 988 991 994 995 999 *

Bonners Ferry Bonners Ferry (Kutenai language: ʔaq̓anqmi) is the largest city and the county seat of Boundary County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census. History When gold was discovered in the East Kootenays of British ...

(208) 267 295 * Burley (208) 203 219 261 312 586 647 650 670 677 678 808 * Caldwell (208) 402 453 454 455 459 649 779 965 *

Carey Carey may refer to: Names * Carey (given name), a given name * Carey (surname), a surname ** List of people with surname Carey Places Canada * Carey Group, British Columbia; in the Pacific * Carey Island (Nunavut) in James Bay United Kingdom ...

(208) 823 * Challis (208) 879 * Clark Fork (208) 266 * Clayton (208) 838 * Coeur d'Alene (208) 215 218 277 292 415 416 444 446 449 620 625 640 641 651 659 660 661 664 665 666 667 676 691 699 704 714 755 758 763 765 769 770 771 797 818 819 889 929 930 952 956 964 966 * Council (208) 253 * Emmett (208) 365 369 398 477 963 *

Firth Firth is a word in the English and Scots languages used to denote various coastal waters in the United Kingdom, predominantly within Scotland. In the Northern Isles, it more usually refers to a smaller inlet. It is linguistically cognate to ''fj ...

(208) 346 * Fruitland (208) 452 566 570 707 * Garden Valley (208) 462 *

Glenns Ferry Glenns Ferry is a city in Elmore County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,319 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Interstate 84 and the Snake River. History Glenns Ferry was one of the most famous and treacherous river cro ...

(208) 366 *

Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...

(208) 425 * Grand View (208) 834 * Grangeville (208) 983 * Hailey (208) 209 450 471 481 578 594 622 720 721 725 726 727 788 806 * Homedale (208) 337 *

Idaho Falls Idaho Falls ( Shoshoni: Dembimbosaage) is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is the state's largest city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 6 ...

(208) 200 201 204 206 227 243 313 403 419 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 528 529 533 534 535 542 552 557 569 592 709 719 757 818 821 881 932 980 *

Jerome Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...

(208) 210 316 320 324 329 593 595 644 933 944 948 * Lewiston (208) 298 299 305 413 503 553 621 717 743 746 748 750 790 791 792 798 799 816 848 *

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airpor ...

(208) 588 *

Malad Malad (Pronunciation: aːlaːɖ is a suburb located in North Mumbai. Malad has a railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on ra ...

(208) 766 * Marsing (208) 896 * McCall (208) 271 315 469 491 630 632 634 905 * Melba-Murphy (208) 495 *

Meridian Meridian or a meridian line (from Latin ''meridies'' via Old French ''meridiane'', meaning “midday”) may refer to Science * Meridian (astronomy), imaginary circle in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the celestial equator and horizon * ...

(208) 288 401 412 631 695 706 822 846 855 870 871 884 887 888 893 895 898 955 * Middleton (208) 585 * Montpelier, Idaho (208) 847 * Moore (208) 554 *

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

(208) 216 301 310 596 669 874 882 883 885 * Mountain Home (208) 580 587 590 591 598 599 828 832 *

Nampa, Idaho Nampa () is the largest city in Canyon County, Idaho. Its population was 100,200 at the time of the 2020 Census. It is Idaho's third-most populous city. Nampa is about west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles (10 km) west of Meridian. ...

(208) 463 467 880 899 *

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

(208) 278 * Orofino (208) 476 *

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...

(208) 674 722 *

Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

(208) 438 * Paris, Idaho (208) 945 * Payette (208) 642 741 * Pine-Featherville (208) 653 * Plummer (208) 686 *

Pocatello Pocatello () is the county seat of and largest city in Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the P ...

(208) 213 220 221 223 226 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 244 251 252 254 269 282 317 339 380 406 417 425 427 478 479 530 540 547 565 589 637 646 648 705 708 747 760 775 776 833 840 851 852 897 904 909 915 * Ponderay (208) 263 *

Post Falls Post Falls is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, between Coeur d'Alene and Spokane, Washington. It is a suburb of Coeur d'Alene, to the east, and a bedroom community to Spokane, to the west. The population was 38,485 at the time of the 2020 cens ...

(208) 457 773 777 618 * Potlatch (208) 875 *

Rexburg Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statist ...

(208) 351 356 359 360 390 656 716 * Rockland (208) 548 *

Rigby, Idaho Rigby is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Idaho, United States. The population was 3,945 at the 2010 census, up from 2,998 in 2000.

(208)745 * Ririe, Idaho (208)538 *

Rupert, Idaho Rupert is the county seat and largest city of Minidoka County, Idaho,. It is part of the Burley Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,554 at the 2010 census.Saint Anthony (208) 624 * Sandpoint (208) 255 263 265 * Shelley (208) 357 * Soda Springs (208) 547 * St. Maries, Idaho (208) 245 *

Stanley, Idaho Stanley is a town in the Sawtooth Valley in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 116 at the 2020 census; up from 63 in 2010. The center of population of Idaho in 2000 was located in Stanley. History Fur trappers of the H ...

(208) * Teton (208) 372 458 * Tipanuk (208) 796 * Twin Falls (208) 210 212 280 293 308 316 320 324 329 352 358 404 410 420 421 423 490 536 537 539 543 544 593 595 644 731 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 749 751 814 825 829 837 886 933 934 944 948 961 969 *

Wallace Wallace may refer to: People * Clan Wallace in Scotland * Wallace (given name) * Wallace (surname) * Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back * Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name ...

(208) 556 752 753 * Weiser (208) 414 549 550 * Wilder (208) 482 * Premium numbers: 1+(208/986) 976.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Area Code 208

208 Year 208 ( CCVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Geta (or, less frequently, year 961 ''Ab urbe condita' ...

Telecommunications-related introductions in 1947

List of exchanges

See also

References

External links