800 Area Code
Toll-free numbers (called party pays)
The 800 area code is reserved for toll-free numbers. It was the first toll-free NPA and the first non-geographic area code in the entire North American Numbering Plan.
How 800 is used
Numbers in 800 are dialed as a full ten-digit number (1-800-NXX-XXXX) and are free to the caller; the called party (the business) pays a per-minute fee to its toll-free carrier. Toll-free numbers are portable between carriers and reserved through Responsible Organizations (RespOrgs) using the Somos toll-free database. 800 is functionally interchangeable with 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888, though many businesses still value 800 as the most recognized prefix.
- Purpose
- Toll-free numbers (called party pays)
- Assignee
- Somos, Inc. (toll-free Responsible Organizations under FCC rules)
- Dialed as
- 1-800-NXX-XXXX
History
Creation: Area code 800 was the first toll-free NPA and the first non-geographic area code in the NANP, launched by AT&T as automated Inbound Wide Area Telephone Service (InWATS) in 1967. The digit 8 was chosen because it sat on the 'T' key for 'Toll-free' on a rotary dial. After more than 30 years 800's roughly 7.8 million numbers approached exhaustion, prompting the addition of 888 in 1996 and successive toll-free codes 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833.
Mnemonics: Prior to 1995, the middle digit of area codes was restricted to 0 or 1, which do not correspond to letters on a phone's dialing pad. Because 800 contains 0 or 1, it has no mnemonic letter equivalent.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll-free_telephone_numbers_in_the_North_American_Numbering_Plan, support.somos.com/hc/en-us/articles/6876889063956-TFNRegistry-A-History-of-Toll-Free-Numbers.
Other special-use area codes
Same-category codes first, then the rest of the NANP special-use portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is area code 800 used for?
800 is a special-use area code in the North American Numbering Plan. The 800 area code is reserved for toll-free numbers. It was the first toll-free NPA and the first non-geographic area code in the entire North American Numbering Plan.
How is 800 dialed?
Numbers in 800 are dialed as a full ten-digit number (1-800-NXX-XXXX). It is a non-geographic area code, so 1-800 numbers are not tied to any city or state.
Are 800 numbers free to call?
Yes. 800 is a toll-free area code: the called party (the business) pays the per-minute charge to its toll-free carrier, and the caller pays nothing. 800 numbers are interoperable with 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 numbers.
Who called me from a 800 number?
A 800 number is toll-free, used by businesses and call centers, and also by robocallers. Toll-free caller ID is easy to spoof, so a 800 number does not identify a specific company. Recently, 988 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 800 code (53% flagged as robocalls). If you did not expect the call, let it go to voicemail; a real caller will leave a message.
Is 800 a scam area code?
No. 800 is a legitimate toll-free code used by real businesses. But scammers use and spoof toll-free numbers too, so 800 on your caller ID proves nothing on its own. Recently, 988 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 800 code (53% flagged as robocalls). Judge the call itself, not the code.
How do I block calls from 800 numbers?
Block the specific 800 number from your recent-calls list (iPhone: Block this Caller; Android: Block or report spam), turn on spam filtering from your carrier, and register at DoNotCall.gov. You can block all toll-free calls, but that also stops legitimate businesses from reaching you.
Who assigns 800 numbers?
Somos, Inc. (toll-free Responsible Organizations under FCC rules)
When did area code 800 go into service?
Area code 800 was placed into service on 1967 (interstate InWATS; intrastate began 1966). It was the 1st area code used for Toll-free; 1st non-geographic area code put into service.