Area code 520, Telephone prefix in Tucson and Nogales, United States
The prefix covers southeastern Arizona and links cities such as Tucson and Nogales with smaller desert towns and border communities. This telephone number grouping extends across a wide region that reaches from the Mexican border to the mountains of southern Arizona.
This prefix appeared in 1995 as a split from the former 602 code, which had served the entire state since the numbering system began in the 1940s. The division reflected growing telephone use across Arizona and the need for more available numbers.
This area code connects diverse populations across southeastern Arizona, from university communities to border settlements with strong Mexican influences.
Anyone calling within this region must dial all ten digits, even for calls to neighbors in the same town. The full number with prefix is always required, no matter how short the distance between caller and recipient.
Some remote places within this prefix lie more than 185 miles (300 kilometers) apart and show the expanse of the Arizona desert landscape. Despite the distance, the same code connects university towns with tiny settlements near the border with Mexico.
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