The 838 area code covers the same area as 518, including Albany, Schenectady and 124 more places in New York.
Area code 838 is in New York, on Eastern Time. In the 838 area, phone numbers are given out most in Albany County, then Warren and Schenectady counties. It has been in service since September 19, 2017. 518 covers the same area, so two neighbours can have different area codes.
- Where
- 8 counties in New York, mostly Albany County, Warren County and Schenectady County
- Time zone
- Eastern Time
- In service since
- September 19, 2017
- Shares its area with
- 518 (since 1947)
- Prefixes in use
- 227
- How to dial
- Local calls need all 10 digits: 838-555-0142.
Find out who called you from an 838 number.
Enter the full 10-digit number to see who it is listed to and the city and state on the listing. It is the same free check as our who called me lookup. To see only the caller ID name on the number, use our free CNAM lookup. To see whether it is a mobile, a landline or a VoIP line, use our free VoIP checker. To see which carrier a (838) number is on today, use our free carrier lookup.
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Albany holds 13% of the phone prefixes in area code 838.
A prefix is the three digits after the area code, and NANPA assigns each one to a town. Counting the 227 prefixes in use shows where 838 numbers are actually given out.
- Albany29 prefixes, 13%
- Schenectady10 prefixes, 4%
- Johnstown9 prefixes, 4%
- Troy8 prefixes, 4%
- Hudson5 prefixes, 2%
- Hoosick Falls4 prefixes, 2%
- Glens Falls4 prefixes, 2%
- Amsterdam4 prefixes, 2%
Also served: Gloversville, Ballston Spa, Malone and Lake Placid and 114 smaller places.
Of the carriers named here, Fractel holds the most phone number prefixes in area code 838: 33 of 227.
NANPA, which runs the North American numbering plan, assigns each prefix (the three digits after the area code) to one carrier. Here is how the 227 prefixes in use in 838 divide between carriers; holders this page does not name are grouped as other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fractel | 33 | 15% |
| AT&T MobilityMobile network | 19 | 8% |
| Coretel New York | 16 | 7% |
| Peering Hub | 14 | 6% |
| Right Call | 9 | 4% |
| Ton80 Communications | 6 | 3% |
| 36 other carriers | 130 | 57% |
96% of these prefixes are pooled, which means the blocks of 1,000 numbers inside them can belong to other carriers. Any number can also have been moved to another carrier since, so this shows who holds the prefixes, not who serves a given number.
Want the carrier of one exact number? Our free carrier lookup checks it, because numbers move between carriers.
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, October 1, 2026.
838 started in 2017 as an overlay on 518, and its ground has not changed since.
2017
838 starts on September 19, 2017, as an overlay on 518: new numbers on the same ground.
An 838 number on your screen can still be a scam, because caller ID is easy to fake.
- Let an unknown call go to voicemail. A real caller leaves a message; a robocaller usually does not.
- Look the number up with the box above before you call back, because calling back tells a robocaller your line is live.
- Hang up on anyone who wants gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer, or asks you to read out a code that was just texted to you.
- Report unwanted robocalls at reportfraud.ftc.gov, or paste a suspicious message into our free scam checker.
The area codes closest to 838 are 802, 315 and 413.
This list measures the distance between the centres of each area, across state lines, and shows codes that share one area together.
New York has 22 other area codes.
These are the questions people ask most about area code 838.
Where is area code 838?
838 covers Albany, Schenectady, Glens Falls and Troy and 122 more places in New York. In the 838 area, phone numbers are given out most in Albany County, then Warren and Schenectady counties.
What state is area code 838 in?
New York. 838 is a New York area code on Eastern Time.
What cities use area code 838?
The places holding the most 838 prefixes are Albany, Schenectady, Glens Falls, Troy, Plattsburgh, Saratoga Springs, Amsterdam and Hudson, out of 126 places in all. The count comes from NANPA's prefix assignments as of October 1, 2026.
Which phone company owns area code 838?
No single phone company owns 838. NANPA's records list its 227 prefixes across many carriers, and the ones named on this page include Fractel, AT&T Mobility and Coretel New York. Numbers move between carriers, so check one exact number with a carrier lookup.
What time zone is area code 838 in?
838 is on Eastern Time.
When did area code 838 start?
838 went into service on September 19, 2017, as an overlay on 518: new numbers for the same area.
Is 838 the same area as 518?
Yes. 518 (since 1947) covers the same ground as 838. Nobody's number changed when it was added; new lines simply get whichever code has numbers left, so two neighbours can have different codes.
How do I dial an 838 number?
Local calls need all 10 digits: 838-555-0142.
Is 838 a toll-free number?
No. 838 is a regular area code for Albany and Schenectady in New York, not a toll-free one. The toll-free codes in North America are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.
What area codes are near 838?
The closest are 802 (Burlington, Vermont), 315/680 (Syracuse, New York), 413 (Springfield, Massachusetts) and 603 (Manchester, New Hampshire), measured between the centres of each area.
Who called me from an 838 number?
Enter the full 10-digit number in the lookup above. It returns the listed owner where there is a public record, where the number is registered, and whether it is a mobile, a landline or a VoIP line.
Is area code 838 a scam?
838 is a real New York area code, so the code itself is not a warning sign. Scam callers fake local-looking numbers on purpose, so judge the call by what the caller asks for, and look the number up before calling back.
Put this lookup on your site: our free area code widget takes two lines of code and shows any US area code's state, time zone and local time.
Source: NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator: its area code database and prefix assignments, as of October 1, 2026.