Phone prefixes in Fort McMurray, AB
Fort McMurray, AB is a rate centre in the Canadian numbering plan. CNAC records 62 in-service prefixes there, held by 13 carriers and spread across 4 area codes (780, 587, 825, 368). With 62 prefixes, Fort McMurray is one of the five largest rate centres in Alberta: 4th of 337, holding 1.9% of the province’s prefixes, and 44th of 2,920 rate centres across Canada.
Background reading: Canadian area codes, overlays, and what a 416 number actually tells you · Caller ID spoofing, STIR/SHAKEN, and how to actually block calls in Canada
Where Fort McMurray is
- Province or territory
- Alberta
- Census division
- Division No. 16
- Local time
- — Mountain Time (MT), UTC−7; UTC−6 in daylight saving time
- Nearest rate centres
- Anzac (33 km), Conklin (117 km), La Loche (118 km, SK), Chipewyan Lake (129 km), Turnor Lake (161 km, SK)
Divisions and places: Statistics Canada and NRCan. Straight-line distances.
In numbers
- In-service prefixes
- 62
- Telephone numbers covered
- 620,000
- Carriers
- 13
- Area codes
- 4
- Provinces and territories
- 1
- First assignment
- June 2, 2000
- Most recent assignment
- December 13, 2022
Fort McMurray’s share of its area codes
Within area code 780, Fort McMurray accounts for only 29 of 780 prefixes (3.7%): the code is dominated by Edmonton and spread over 195 rate centres. Within area code 587, Fort McMurray accounts for only 25 of 779 prefixes (3.2%): the code is dominated by Calgary and spread over 137 rate centres. Within area code 825, Fort McMurray accounts for only 6 of 770 prefixes (0.8%): the code is dominated by Calgary and spread over 301 rate centres. Within area code 368, Fort McMurray accounts for only 2 of 85 prefixes (2.4%): the code is dominated by Calgary and spread over 14 rate centres.
| Area codes | Prefixes here | Prefixes in code | Share | Range | Largest rate centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 780 | 29 | 780 | 3.7 % | 780-215 – 780-972 | Edmonton |
| 587 | 25 | 779 | 3.2 % | 587-241 – 587-960 | Calgary |
| 825 | 6 | 770 | 0.8 % | 825-213 – 825-864 | Calgary |
| 368 | 2 | 85 | 2.4 % | 368-645 – 368-994 | Calgary |
Who holds these numbers
TELUS holds the largest share at 23 prefixes, 37.1% of the total, ahead of 12 other carriers. Code by code: in 780, TELUS leads with 14 of 29 prefixes ahead of 6 others; in 587, TELUS leads with 7 of 25 prefixes ahead of 10 others; in 825, TELUS leads with 2 of 6 prefixes ahead of 3 others; TELUS Mobility is the only holder in 368. 1 carrier holds prefixes in every one of Fort McMurray’s 4 area codes, while 6 appear in just one.
| Carrier | 780 | 587 | 825 | 368 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TELUS | 14 | 7 | 2 | — | 23 |
| TELUS Mobility | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Bell Mobility | 4 | 2 | — | — | 6 |
| Iristel Inc. | — | 3 | 2 | — | 5 |
| Bell West Inc. | 3 | — | 1 | — | 4 |
| Shaw Telecom Inc. | 1 | 3 | — | — | 4 |
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 |
| Distributel | — | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| Comwave Networks | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Fido Solutions Inc. | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| ISP Telecom Inc. | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Cable) | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Zayo Canada Inc. | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Wireless and wireline
20 of Fort McMurray’s 62 prefixes (32.3%) are held by carriers whose registered name marks a wireless business: TELUS Mobility, Bell Mobility, Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) and Fido Solutions Inc. Wireline prefixes still outnumber them, carried by TELUS, Iristel Inc, Bell West Inc and Shaw Telecom Inc. This is a sort by name, not a licence lookup, and a mobile prefix may have been ported to another network since.
How the allocation was built up
Fort McMurray’s dated assignments run from 2000 to 2022. The busiest period was 2010–2014, when 19 prefixes went to 10 carriers. 8 prefixes (13%) carry no date in the register: these are the historic pre-1999 assignments, the wireline bedrock of the rate centre. Since 2020 another 4 prefixes have been added, so the rate centre is still growing.
Fort McMurray’s oldest prefixes, the ones the register leaves undated, belong to TELUS, TELUS Mobility and Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless): these carriers made up the landscape before competition arrived. The first dated assignment went to TELUS in 2000. The most recent arrivals are Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Cable) (2017), ISP Telecom Inc. (2014) and Iristel Inc. (2014), a sign that new carriers are still asking for numbers in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray’s 62 prefixes provide 620,000 numbers, which corresponds to a mid-sized city or a well-established suburb that every major carrier wants a slice of.
No single carrier dominates Fort McMurray: the leader, TELUS, holds only 37.1% of the prefixes against 12 competitors, a sign of a highly fragmented market where cable companies, mobility brands and VoIP providers weigh as much as the incumbent.
Allocation is mature: only 7.4% of the dated prefixes are less than ten years old, most having been handed out in 2010–2014, and 8 prefixes go back to the undated monopoly era. New Fort McMurray numbers mostly come out of blocks that were assigned long ago.
The register also shows 1 prefix assigned but not yet in service in Fort McMurray (Fibernetics Corporation): numbers that will start showing up on call displays in the coming months.
| Period | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2004 | 6 | 3 |
| 2005–2009 | 15 | 7 |
| 2010–2014 | 19 | 10 |
| 2015–2019 | 10 | 7 |
| 2020–2024 | 4 | 2 |
8 undated in the register.
Dialling a Fort McMurray number
Fort McMurray is served by 4 overlaid area codes (780, 587, 825 and 368). A 368 number is no more “out of town” than a 780 one; from abroad, dial +1 and the full ten digits.
The numbering neighbourhood
Fort McMurray shares area codes 780, 587, 825 and 368 with at least 20 other rate centres, including Edmonton, Calgary, Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Sherwood Park, Peace River and St. Albert. The largest of them, Edmonton, holds 505 prefixes in 368, 587, 780 and 825; the smallest on the list, Hinton, has just 17.
| Rate centre | Province | Shared codes | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton | AB | 368, 587, 780, 825 | 505 | 18 |
| Calgary | AB | 368, 587, 825 | 388 | 18 |
| Grande Prairie | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 49 | 13 |
| Red Deer | AB | 368, 587, 825 | 32 | 14 |
| Lethbridge | AB | 368, 587, 825 | 27 | 13 |
| Sherwood Park | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 25 | 8 |
| Peace River | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 24 | 10 |
| St. Albert | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 23 | 8 |
| Banff | AB | 368, 587, 825 | 22 | 10 |
| Fox Creek | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 21 | 9 |
| Leduc | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 21 | 10 |
| Lloydminster | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 21 | 9 |
| Medicine Hat | AB | 587, 825 | 21 | 10 |
| Camrose | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 20 | 11 |
| Drayton Valley | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 18 | 7 |
| Edson | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 18 | 9 |
| Bonnyville | AB | 587, 780, 825 | 17 | 7 |
| High Level | AB | 368, 587, 780, 825 | 17 | 6 |
| High River | AB | 587, 825 | 17 | 10 |
| Hinton | AB | 368, 587, 780, 825 | 17 | 8 |
What a Fort McMurray number tells you
A number attached to Fort McMurray tells you that its prefix was issued to a carrier for this rate centre in Alberta, most often TELUS. It does not tell you where the handset is today: a subscriber may have ported the number to any of the 13 carriers present here or to a VoIP service usable anywhere. Nor does it tell you who is calling: caller ID can be spoofed, and an Alberta area code is easy to borrow to look local.
Reading a register entry for Fort McMurray: code 780-588 is recorded for TELUS, so every 780-588-XXXX number (10,000 possible) descends from that assignment. “Fort McMurray, Alberta” there names a rate centre, not a municipality, and several area codes overlay it.
Every Fort McMurray prefix
Each row is an in-service central-office code recorded for Fort McMurray, with its original holder and year of assignment.
Had a call from a Fort McMurray 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.
Frequently asked
What is the area code for Fort McMurray?
Fort McMurray does not have one area code but 4: 780, 587, 825 and 368. The best-stocked is 780. All are dialled with ten digits and none is “more local” than another.
Is a call from Fort McMurray a cellphone or a landline?
More likely a landline or a VoIP service: mobility brands hold only 32.3% of Fort McMurray’s prefixes.
Which carrier is behind a Fort McMurray number?
In the register, TELUS holds the most prefixes in Fort McMurray (23 of 62), ahead of 12 other carriers. Code 780-588, for instance, belongs to TELUS.
Is this Fort McMurray number a scam?
The register cannot say: it records who a prefix was issued to, not who is calling. Search the full number above to see the reports filed against it.
What is the newest prefix in Fort McMurray?
The latest code brought into service is 368-645, assigned to TELUS Mobility on December 13, 2022. At the other end, the oldest dated prefix, 780-714, goes to TELUS (June 2, 2000). A number in a recent prefix almost always belongs to a subscriber who signed up after that date.
What time zone is Fort McMurray in?
Fort McMurray is on Mountain Time (MT, UTC−7), with daylight saving time (UTC−6) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Allocated prefixes
All 62 in-service prefixes, grouped by rate centre.
Fort McMurray, AB
368-645 · 368-994 · 587-241 · 587-258 · 587-275 · 587-276 · 587-374 · 587-450 · 587-452 · 587-477 · 587-536 · 587-537 · 587-539 · 587-543 · 587-601 · 587-604 · 587-644 · 587-645 · 587-646 · 587-674 · 587-676 · 587-723 · 587-826 · 587-884 · 587-919 · 587-941 · 587-960 · 780-215 · 780-370 · 780-381 · 780-531 · 780-588 · 780-598 · 780-607 · 780-713 · 780-714 · 780-715 · 780-734 · 780-742 · 780-743 · 780-747 · 780-748 · 780-749 · 780-750 · 780-762 · 780-788 · 780-790 · 780-791 · 780-792 · 780-793 · 780-799 · 780-804 · 780-838 · 780-880 · 780-881 · 780-972 · 825-213 · 825-357 · 825-409 · 825-645 · 825-824 · 825-864
Elsewhere in Alberta
| Rate centre | Province | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canmore | AB | 26 | 13 |
| Airdrie | AB | 23 | 10 |
| Strathmore | AB | 22 | 12 |
| Brooks | AB | 19 | 9 |
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.