Believe it or not, you won’t find a country associated with the “857 country code.” Here’s the truth behind the numbers:
The 857 code is actually an area code, not a country code. Specifically, it’s one of two area codes serving the city of Boston and surrounding areas in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The other area code is 617.
Area codes were created to manage phone numbers geographically. With the rise of communication needs, the original 617 area code for Boston was nearing exhaustion. To accommodate this, the 857 area code was introduced as an overlay in 2001. This means both 617 and 857 cover the same geographical region.
So, if you see a phone number with a 857 area code, you can be certain it’s coming from somewhere in or around Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Here’s a quick recap:
- 857 is not a country code.
- It’s an area code for Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- It works alongside the original area code for Boston, 617.
Next time you come across an 857 number, you’ll know it’s a call from Beantown!