Area code 428
Area code 428 holds 21 in-service central-office prefixes in the CNAC register, covering roughly 210,000 telephone numbers. They are split between 6 carriers and 15 rate centres. The largest is Bathurst. Recorded assignments run from May 25, 2023 to March 16, 2026. That ranks it 52 of 55 Canadian area codes by prefix count.
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Area code 428 at a glance
- Province or territory
- New Brunswick
- Local time
- — Atlantic Time (AT), UTC−4; UTC−3 in daylight saving time
- In service since
- April 29, 2023
- Split or overlaid from
- 506
- Overlay complex
- 428 / 506 — same territory, 10-digit dialling
- Number format
- 428-NXX-XXXX · +1 428 NXX XXXX
Sources: CNAC, NANPA (September 25, 2026), Statistics Canada.
In numbers
- In-service prefixes
- 21
- Telephone numbers covered
- 210,000
- Carriers
- 6
- Rate centres
- 15
- Provinces and territories
- 1
- First assignment
- May 25, 2023
- Most recent assignment
- March 16, 2026
Who holds these numbers
Iristel Inc. holds the largest share at 15 prefixes, 71.4% of the total, ahead of 5 other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share | First assigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iristel Inc. | 15 | 71.4 % | 2023 |
| TELUS Mobility | 2 | 9.5 % | 2023 |
| Bell Mobility Aliant | 1 | 4.8 % | 2023 |
| Bragg Communications Inc. | 1 | 4.8 % | 2026 |
| Fido Solutions Inc. | 1 | 4.8 % | 2024 |
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) | 1 | 4.8 % | 2024 |
Where these numbers land
Prefixes in 428 serve 15 rate centres. A rate centre is the billing area a prefix is attached to, not where the handset is.
| Rate centre | Province | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathurst | NB | 2 | 2 |
| Miramichi | NB | 2 | 2 |
| Moncton | NB | 2 | 2 |
| Shediac | NB | 2 | 1 |
| St. George | NB | 2 | 1 |
| St. Stephen | NB | 2 | 2 |
| Bouctouche | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Harvey Station | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Perth-Andover | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Petitcodiac | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Richibucto | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Sackville | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Saint John | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Shippagan | NB | 1 | 1 |
| Woodstock | NB | 1 | 1 |
How the allocation was built up
| Period | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 2020–2024 | 18 | 5 |
| 2025–2029 | 3 | 2 |
Overlay area codes
428 shares its rate centres with 506. Overlay codes cover the same ground, which is why ten-digit dialling is required: two neighbours on one street can hold different area codes.
Phone and text fraud in New Brunswick
In 2024 the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 315 fraud reports from New Brunswick where the first contact was a phone call (262) or a text (53); 166 came from victims, who reported $2.1 million lost. The most common types were service, bank investigator, phishing.
January to September 2025: 129 reports (-46% on the same months of 2024) and $525,414 reported lost (-74%).
Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre open data (Open Government Licence – Canada), current to September 29, 2025. These are province-wide figures, not specific to one area code, and only a fraction of fraud is ever reported. Dataset
Had a call from a 428 number?
No clear pattern in reports on these numbers yet. If a call worried you:
- Call back on a number you trust
If a caller says they are your bank, the Canada Revenue Agency, a courier or your phone company, hang up and call the organization on the number from its website or your statement, never the number that called you. Caller ID can be faked.
- Report the fraud
Report the call or text to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or at 1-888-495-8501. If you lost money or gave out personal details, tell your bank first, then your local police.
- Register on the National Do Not Call List
Registering a landline or mobile on the National DNCL is free. Registered charities, political parties, newspapers and companies you already do business with may still call.
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
Forward a scam or spam text to 7726 (SPAM on the keypad). It's free, and your carrier uses it to block the sender. Don't tap links or reply.
Area code 428: questions and answers
Where is area code 428?
428 serves New Brunswick. Its 21 in-service prefixes belong to 15 rate centres, mainly Bathurst, Miramichi, Moncton and Shediac.
What time zone is area code 428 in?
Every placed rate centre in 428 is on Atlantic Time (AT, UTC−4), with daylight saving time (UTC−3) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
When did area code 428 start?
428 has been in service since April 29, 2023; it was created from 506. It shares its territory with 506, so a new number there can get any of these codes.
Which carriers hold 428 numbers?
The CNAC register lists 6 carriers with prefixes in 428; the largest are Iristel Inc. (71.4%), TELUS Mobility (9.5%) and Bell Mobility Aliant (4.8%). Numbers can be ported, so the original carrier may not be the current one.
Is phone fraud rising in New Brunswick?
In the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's open data, call and text fraud reports from New Brunswick went from 238 in January–September 2024 to 129 in the same months of 2025 (-46%). Reported losses went from $2.1 million to $0.5 million.
How do I report a scam call from a 428 number?
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501). If you lost money, call your bank first, then your local police. Unwanted telemarketing goes to the National Do Not Call List, and spam texts can be forwarded to 7726.
Allocated prefixes
All 21 in-service prefixes, grouped by rate centre.
Bathurst, NB
428-496 · 428-580
Miramichi, NB
428-308 · 428-999
Moncton, NB
428-880 · 428-888
Shediac, NB
428-723 · 428-724
St. George, NB
428-712 · 428-713
St. Stephen, NB
428-208 · 428-714
Bouctouche, NB
428-436
Harvey Station, NB
428-526
Perth-Andover, NB
428-707
Petitcodiac, NB
428-789
Richibucto, NB
428-404
Sackville, NB
428-710
Saint John, NB
428-910
Shippagan, NB
428-699
Woodstock, NB
428-300
Allocation source: Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNAC), the registry that records which carrier a central-office code was originally issued to. An allocation says who was issued the prefix, not who serves the number today: numbers can be ported between carriers, and caller ID can be spoofed outright.