Area code 973 – New Jersey
973 has served New Jersey since 1997, split from 201. All but a handful of its 786 number blocks are allocated (779 of 786), so it is effectively exhausted. Verizon is the largest holder with 57.0% of blocks, ahead of Lumen / CenturyLink at 9.8%. It shares its geography with overlay codes 862, so local calls take all ten digits. 726 FTC complaints named a 973 caller ID in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, putting it 124th of 422 codes with five or more complaints.
- State
- New Jersey
- In service since
- 1997
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Shares area with
- 862
Who holds 973 number blocks
Share of the 779 assigned NXX blocks (99.1% of the 786 possible), across 33 carriers. This is share of number blocks, not of subscribers.
- Verizon57%
- Lumen9.8%
- AT&T9.5%
- T-Mobile8.2%
- Other CLEC / VoIP5.3%
- Windstream3.9%
- Brightspeed1.8%
- Altice1.7%
- Spok0.9%
- Onvoy0.9%
- Peerless0.6%
- Bandwidth0.3%
- American Messaging0.1%
- TPx0.1%
Spam complaints naming 973
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID was a 973 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 973
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 42.
Timeline
- 1997 973 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 201.
More about 973
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 973
What state is area code 973?
New Jersey. It covers the same area as 862/973.
Can I still get a 973 number?
Only from recycled stock. 779 of the 786 available blocks are already allocated, so new numbers in the area normally come from the overlay codes (862/973).
Is a call from 973 a scam?
Not by itself. 973 drew 726 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 124th of 422 ranked codes – mid-pack or lower. Spam callers spoof caller IDs, so the only useful check is the full number.
Which carrier owns 973 numbers?
Verizon holds the largest share of assigned number blocks at 57.0%. 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 973?
Yes – ten digits for local calls in 973, 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.