CallataGuidesGet a local business phone number in Fosston, MN
Fosston's area code, prefixes and carriers from NANPA records, and how to put a Fosston number in front of your customers.
- Area code
- 218
- Exchanges
- 3NANPA-assigned
- Carriers
- 2
- Population
- 1,377Census 2024 est.
Area codes in Fosston
Fosston city is a Census place in Polk County, Minnesota, with an estimated 1,377 residents in 2024. All 3 exchanges NANPA lists for its rate center are in area code 218. Fosston is in the Central time zone.
According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 218 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as 1 plus ten digits.
| Area code | Exchanges here | Share | In service since | Overlay with | Time zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 218 | 3 | 100% | 1947 | none | Central |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file and NPA report, dated 10/01/2026.
Fosston exchanges by carrier
2 carriers hold the 3 exchanges assigned to Fosston's rate center. Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless - MN has the most, with 2. None of them are pooled codes. Holding a code means NANPA assigned that block of numbers to the carrier for this rate center; individual numbers may since have been ported elsewhere.
| Carrier (NANPA operating company) | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless - MN | 2 | 67% |
| Garden Valley Tel. CO. | 1 | 33% |
Carrier names are the operating company (OCN) names on NANPA's utilized central office code file dated 10/01/2026. A carrier holding a code may port numbers to other carriers.
Exchanges (NPA-NXX) assigned in Fosston
These are the central office codes NANPA records for Fosston. A caller seeing one of them recognizes a local number. The earliest assignment date recorded in the file for these codes is 2008. None were assigned in 2020 or later.
| Area code | Prefixes (NXX) |
|---|---|
| 218 | 431, 435, 490 |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file.
When Fosston's exchanges were assigned
The table groups Fosston's exchanges by the decade NANPA recorded them as assigned.
| Decade assigned | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1 | 50% |
| 2010s | 1 | 50% |
Assignment dates as recorded in NANPA's utilized code file; codes without a recorded date are excluded.
What makes a number local to Fosston
NANPA ties every exchange to a rate center. For Fosston that is FOSSTON, so a number from one of these exchanges reads as local to people in and around Fosston.
New local numbers are drawn from carrier inventory, so the exact 218 numbers available change over time; porting an existing number is free.
The local business market
Fosston is part of the Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area, home to 104,000 people in 2024. County Business Patterns counted 2,636 business establishments in the Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area in 2023, employing 40,663 people. The largest sectors by establishment count are retail trade (369), health care and social assistance (300), and construction (297).
| Industry | Establishments | Employees | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited-service restaurants | 70 | 1,430 | 20.4 |
| Full-service restaurants | 65 | 1,890 | 29.1 |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 59 | 209 | 3.5 |
| Landscaping services | 48 | 223 | 4.6 |
| Drinking places | 40 | 478 | 11.9 |
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 39 | 579 | 14.8 |
| Electrical contractors | 38 | 365 | 9.6 |
| Law offices | 37 | 181 | 4.9 |
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
A Fosston number on Callata
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
Porting a number you already use in Fosston is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
A 15-person team is the benchmark here, the rounded average establishment size in the Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area. Billed per seat at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026), RingCentral RingEX Core costs $450.00 a month and Ooma Office Pro $374.25. Callata comes to $299.00 a month for 15 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $299.00 | $3,588.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $285.00 | $3,420.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $345.00 | $4,140.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $374.25 | $4,491.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $405.00 | $4,860.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $450.00 | $5,400.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Frequently asked questions
What area code is Fosston, MN?
218. All exchanges NANPA lists for Fosston are in 218.
How many phone companies have exchanges in Fosston?
2, holding 3 exchanges between them, according to NANPA's 10/01/2026 file.
Can I keep my existing Fosston business number?
Yes. Porting an existing number to Callata is free. Texting from it starts after carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee.
How much is a business phone line in Fosston?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, with up to 3 local numbers; 15 users come to $299.00 a month. For comparison, 15 users on RingCentral RingEX Core list at $450.00 a month (checked September 28, 2026).