Find any 256- phone number in Alabama
The 256 area code is the telephone numbering plan code for the northern third of the state of Alabama. It is part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) area codes that are assigned to specific geographic areas across Canada, US and several caribbean nations. 256 was created in 1995 when it was split from the 205 area code, as the demand for additional phone numbers increased. It covers the cities of Huntsville, Muscle Shoals, Decatur and Florence, as well as the immediately adjoining counties.
The North American Numbering Plan is a system of assigning telephone numbers to a specific geographic area, serving as a uniform way to identify the region of a call's origin. It is managed by an independent nonprofit called the North American Numbering Plan Administration which assigns area codes and exchanges after reviewing requests from carriers and state public utility commissions. Each area code contains a specific quantity of exchanges which are then further broken down into numbers for specific telephone numbers. This system makes it easier for telephone services to route calls from one area to another, as well as allowing telecommunications providers to increase the number of available phone numbers as needed.