Area code 873 — Quebec
Western and Northern Quebec (overlay of 819). Overlay assignment, in service since 2012.
At a glance
- Country
- Canada
- Province / territory
- Quebec
- Service area
- Western and Northern Quebec (overlay of 819)
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) · current offset -04:00
- Type
- Overlay
- In service since
- 2012
- Country code
- +1 (NANP)
Map
Cities served by 873
Related & overlay area codes
Area code 873 shares geography with 2 other codes serving the same region. A call placed inside this overlay must dial all 10 digits regardless of which code your own line uses.
Carriers operating in 873
The following national and regional telecommunications carriers hold central office (CO) code assignments within numbering plan area 873. Number portability means a phone number originally issued by one carrier may now ride on another carrier's network.
About area code 873
Area code 873 is a Canadian numbering plan area covering Western and Northern Quebec (overlay of 819). It was placed into service in 2012 as a overlay code, and today operates under the Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) time zone.
Numbers in the 873 NPA are issued in central office (CO) blocks of 10,000 to local exchange carriers, who then assign them to subscribers. Because Canada uses a competitive carrier model under CRTC oversight, multiple carriers — both incumbent and competitive — hold blocks within 873. The current carrier of record for any specific number can be looked up via the Canadian Local Number Portability Consortium, but the originally issued carrier is no longer a reliable signal of who actually serves that line.
If you receive a call from a number beginning with 873, the caller is either physically located in or has historically been associated with Western and Northern Quebec (overlay of 819). The same applies to overlay codes 819, 468: any of these area codes can correspond to a phone in the same geography, and many households carry numbers from two or three different overlays simultaneously across landlines and mobile devices.
To call a number in 873 from outside Canada and the United States, dial your country's international access prefix, then +1 873 followed by the 7-digit local number. Within the NANP, simply dial 1 followed by all 10 digits — or just the 10 digits if you are also located in an overlay region where 7-digit local dialling is no longer permitted.
Frequently asked questions
Where is area code 873?
Area code 873 serves Western and Northern Quebec (overlay of 819) in Quebec, Canada.
What time zone is 873?
Numbers in 873 are in the Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) time zone.
Is 873 a toll-free or mobile-only code?
No. Canadian area codes are geographic — they apply to both landline and mobile numbers in Western and Northern Quebec (overlay of 819). Toll-free codes in the NANP (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) are a separate category.
Why do I see calls from 873 if I do not know anyone there?
Two reasons. First, mobile portability: someone who moved away from Quebec can keep their 873 number anywhere in the world. Second, scam callers frequently spoof Canadian area codes to appear local. If you do not recognise the number, it is generally safe to let it go to voicemail.