Area code 808

Area code 808 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the Hawaiian Islands, comprising the windward and the leeward islands. The area code also serves Wake Island in the western Pacific Ocean. The code was assigned on August 8, 1957,[citation needed] about two years before the statehood of Hawaii.

Slightly over 1.4 million people live in Hawaii. Despite the state's rapid growth, and the proliferation of mobile numbers (particularly in Oahu, which includes Honolulu), a single area code is projected to be enough to serve the state until at least the third quarter of 2035.[1]

Prior to October 2021, area code 808 had telephone numbers assigned for the central office code 988. In 2020, 988 was designated as a nationwide three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This created a conflict for Hawaii's exchanges, all of which permitted seven-digit dialing. Therefore, area code 808 transitioned to ten-digit dialing on October 24, 2021.[2]

Marcus Mariota, quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders football team and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, had a special face mask honoring the 808 area code while playing with the University of Oregon.[3]

The 808 area code is sometimes used by telephone scammers with the intent of confusing the receiver of the call into thinking that it is an 800 area code due to their similar appearance.[4]

  1. ^ North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) (October 2021). October 2021 NPA Exhaust Analysis, viewed 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Transition to 10-digit dialing (for 988 as 3-digit access to National Suicide Prevention Hotline)" (PDF). North American Numbering Plan Administrator. January 8, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Tilson, Skye (12 December 2014). "Marcus Mariota's Facemask". Uniform Critics. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  4. ^ Gutierrez, Ben (21 December 2017). "Scammers use Hawaii area code to get you to pick up the phone". www.hawaiinewsnow.com. Retrieved 2023-03-30.