Area code 281 – Texas
281 has served Texas since 1996, split from 713. All but a handful of its 786 number blocks are allocated (786 of 786), so it is effectively exhausted. AT&T is the largest holder with 45.3% of blocks, ahead of Verizon at 12.6%. It shares its geography with overlay codes 346, 621, 713, 832, so local calls take all ten digits. 1,020 FTC complaints named a 281 caller ID in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, putting it 38th of 422 codes with five or more complaints.
- State
- Texas
- In service since
- 1996
- Time zone
- Central
Who holds 281 number blocks
Share of the 786 assigned NXX blocks (100% of the 786 possible), across 28 carriers. This is share of number blocks, not of subscribers.
- AT&T45.3%
- Verizon12.6%
- Frontier7.3%
- Lumen7%
- T-Mobile5.7%
- Windstream5.5%
- Onvoy4.1%
- Other CLEC / VoIP3.9%
- Brightspeed2.7%
- Spok2.3%
- Consolidated1.9%
- Comcast1.1%
- American Messaging0.3%
- Peerless0.3%
- TPx0.1%
Spam complaints naming 281
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID was a 281 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 281
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 45.
Timeline
- 1996 281 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 713.
More about 281
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 281
What state is area code 281?
Texas. It covers the same area as 281/346/621/713/832.
Can I still get a 281 number?
Only from recycled stock. 786 of the 786 available blocks are already allocated, so new numbers in the area normally come from the overlay codes (281/346/621/713/832).
Is a call from 281 a scam?
281 is one of the most complained-about codes in the country – 1,020 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 38th 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 281 numbers?
AT&T holds the largest share of assigned number blocks at 45.3%. 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 281?
Yes – ten digits for local calls in 281, 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.