Area code 208 – Idaho
208 is one of the original area codes, in service across Idaho since 1947. All but a handful of its 786 number blocks are allocated (785 of 786), so it is effectively exhausted. No carrier dominates: Lumen / CenturyLink 30.1%, Other CLEC / VoIP 27.1%, Verizon 16.9%. It shares its geography with overlay codes 986, so local calls take all ten digits. It is also among the most imitated codes in spam calls: 1,255 FTC complaints named a 208 caller ID in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, ranking 15th of 422 ranked codes.
Who holds 208 number blocks
Share of the 785 assigned NXX blocks (99.9% of the 786 possible), across 63 carriers. This is share of number blocks, not of subscribers.
- Lumen30.1%
- Verizon16.9%
- Other CLEC / VoIP14.4%
- Ziply Fiber9.6%
- Onvoy8%
- AT&T7.8%
- T-Mobile6.8%
- Allstream2.3%
- Bandwidth1.4%
- Telnyx0.8%
- Windstream0.6%
- Charter0.6%
- Vonage0.3%
- TDS0.3%
- Comcast0.3%
Spam complaints naming 208
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID was a 208 number, 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026 (33 days). Caller IDs on spam calls are frequently spoofed, so these are complaints about the code, not calls proven to originate in it.
Rate centers in 208
NANPA allocates number blocks to rate centers and records their names abbreviated to ten characters, so these are NANPA's codes rather than place names – CHAMPAURBN is Champaign-Urbana, NWYRCYZN01 is a New York City zone. We show them unchanged instead of guessing at the full names. Showing the largest 5 of 145.
Timeline
- 1947 208 assigned in the original North American Numbering Plan.
More about 208
Separate pages for the questions that need their own answer: what time it is there, what the complaint data says, who holds the number blocks, and how the code compares with the one it shares its area with.
Frequently asked about 208
What state is area code 208?
Idaho. It covers the same area as 208/986.
Can I still get a 208 number?
Only from recycled stock. 785 of the 786 available blocks are already allocated, so new numbers in the area normally come from the overlay codes (208/986).
Is a call from 208 a scam?
208 is one of the most complained-about codes in the country – 1,255 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 15th of 422 ranked codes. Most of those calls are spoofed: the caller fakes a local-looking number because it gets answered more often. Look up the specific number rather than judging by the code.
Which carrier owns 208 numbers?
Lumen / CenturyLink holds the largest share of assigned number blocks at 30.1%. The rest is spread across 3 other carriers. This is share of number blocks, not of subscribers – people keep their numbers when they switch carriers.
Do I need to dial 10 digits in 208?
Yes – ten digits for local calls in 208, because it shares its area with another code.
Sources and verification
- NANPA – NPA Database (npa_report.csv), file date 11/01/2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- NANPA – CO Code Assignment Records, All States (utilized), file updated 11/01/2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- FTC – Do Not Call Reported Calls Data, 25 daily files 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
NANPA dialing note for this code: “10D”. Reviewed by the data desk. Spotted an error? Request a correction.