901 Area Code: Memphis, Tennessee — Get a Local Business Number

The 901 area code covers Memphis, Tennessee — a city whose economic influence extends far beyond its borders. As the global headquarters of FedEx, the home of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the birthplace of blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and soul music, Memphis occupies a unique position at the crossroads of American commerce and culture. Whether you’re a Memphis business upgrading your phone system or a company outside Tennessee that needs a credible presence in the Mid-South’s largest market, VestaCall gets you a 901 number in under 5 minutes from $19/mo.

What Is the 901 Area Code?

The 901 area code is a telephone area code for the Memphis metropolitan area in southwestern Tennessee. It is one of the original North American area codes established in 1947. Originally, 901 covered the entire western half of Tennessee, but the 731 area code was split off in 2001 to serve the rural areas of western Tennessee outside the Memphis metro. Today, 901 is concentrated on Shelby County — the Memphis metro — and portions of adjacent Fayette and Tipton counties.

Key facts about 901:

• State: Tennessee
• Coverage: Memphis metropolitan area — Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Millington
• Time Zone: Central Time (CT) — UTC-6 / UTC-5 DST
• Overlay: None currently; 901 remains the sole code for the Memphis metro
• Related codes: 615/629 (Nashville), 731 (rural western Tennessee), 662 (northern Mississippi)
• Introduced: 1947 (one of the original US area codes)
• Business significance: FedEx world headquarters, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, logistics capital of America, blues and music heritage

901 carries deep cultural significance in Memphis. The area code has become a symbol of Memphis identity — appearing on local merchandise, restaurant branding, and even the name of the city’s popular 901 FC soccer team. For businesses, having a 901 number signals genuine Memphis roots.

Where Is the 901 Area Code Located?

The 901 area code is located in southwestern Tennessee, covering the Memphis metropolitan area along the Mississippi River at the junction of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

Cities and Neighborhoods in the 901 Area Code

901 vs 615 vs 731: What’s the Difference?

901 is the Memphis code — the logistics capital of America and the cultural capital of the Mid-South. It’s where FedEx moves 15 million packages per day, where St. Jude conducts world-changing pediatric cancer research, and where Beale Street continues to define American music. For business credibility in Memphis and the broader Mid-South region, 901 is the only code that matters.

Why Businesses Use 901 VoIP Numbers

Memphis’s economy is defined by its position as America’s logistics capital — a distinction driven by FedEx’s global headquarters and the Memphis International Airport, which is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world. Beyond logistics, the city is a major center for healthcare (anchored by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare), music and entertainment tourism, and a growing manufacturing sector.

For businesses in this market — and for companies targeting Memphis customers — a local 901 number delivers immediate credibility:

• Outbound answer rates are 400% higher with a local area code vs. unknown or toll-free numbers
• 901 signals Memphis — the Mid-South’s commercial center and a city with deep pride in its local identity
• Logistics and healthcare clients expect local, professional numbers — in a relationship-driven Southern business culture, local presence matters enormously

Top Industries Using 901 Numbers on VestaCall

• Logistics & Distribution — FedEx Corporation (world HQ), International Paper, AutoZone (corporate HQ), and thousands of third-party logistics companies, freight brokerages, and distribution centers make Memphis the logistics capital of North America. Memphis International Airport handles more cargo tonnage than any airport in the Western Hemisphere. Logistics companies need 24/7 phone availability, reliable call routing, and the ability to handle high call volumes during peak shipping seasons
• Healthcare — St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial Health Care, and Regional One Health anchor a healthcare economy that employs tens of thousands. Medical practices, telehealth providers, and clinical research organizations need HIPAA-compliant VoIP with reliable after-hours coverage and voicemail transcription
• Music & Entertainment — Memphis is the birthplace of blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and soul. Sun Studio, Stax Records, Graceland, and Beale Street drive millions of tourist visits annually. Music venues, recording studios, tour operators, restaurants, and hotels need scalable phone systems that handle the ebb and flow of tourism seasons
• Manufacturing — Memphis has a strong manufacturing base including Nucor Steel, Smith & Nephew (orthopedic devices), and numerous food processing operations. Manufacturing companies need reliable phone systems for sales, customer service, and supply chain coordination
• Real Estate — Memphis is one of the most active real estate investment markets in the country, with investors from across the US purchasing rental properties in the 901 area code. Property management companies, real estate agents, and investor services firms need local 901 numbers to maintain credibility with tenants and local contractors
• Financial Services — First Horizon National Corporation (formerly First Tennessee) is headquartered in Memphis, along with Raymond James offices and a community of independent financial advisors serving the Mid-South region

Getting a 901 Business Phone Number

New 901 Number (5 minutes)

1. Sign up free at vestacall.com — no credit card required
2. Search available 901 numbers — filter by prefix or vanity pattern
3. Choose your plan — starts at $19/user/month, everything included
4. Configure routing — drag-and-drop IVR, no IT needed
5. Go live — average setup time: 15 minutes

Port Your Existing 901 Number (5–10 business days)

Already have a Memphis 901 number with AT&T, Comcast Business, or another carrier? VestaCall ports it for free with zero downtime:

1. Submit your current phone bill + Letter of Authorization
2. VestaCall files the port request directly with your carrier
3. Your 901 number transfers in 5–10 business days
4. Calls continue uninterrupted throughout — no forwarding needed

901 Area Code Business Phone Features

Every 901 number on VestaCall includes:

Pricing for a 901 Memphis Business Number

VestaCall uses 1-second billing precision — you’re charged for exactly what you use, not rounded up to the nearest minute. For Memphis businesses, this saves an additional 8–12% monthly.

Memphis-Specific Considerations

FedEx and the Logistics Ecosystem

FedEx Corporation is Memphis. The company employs over 30,000 people in the Memphis area, and Memphis International Airport — FedEx’s global SuperHub — handles more cargo than any airport in the Western Hemisphere. This logistics infrastructure has attracted thousands of distribution centers, freight brokerages, and supply chain companies to the 901 area code. These businesses operate around the clock — packages don’t stop moving at 5 PM. VestaCall’s AI call handling ensures that freight inquiries, shipment status calls, and customer service requests are answered 24/7, even when your team is offline. For logistics companies with high call volumes during peak shipping seasons (Q4 holiday rush), VestaCall scales instantly without hardware changes.

St. Jude and Healthcare Excellence

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of the most recognized and respected institutions in the world. Its presence in Memphis has attracted a broader healthcare ecosystem including research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, medical device firms, and clinical research organizations. VestaCall is SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certified, with encrypted call infrastructure and compliant call recording — essential for any business communicating protected health information in the St. Jude and broader Memphis healthcare ecosystem.

Music Tourism and Seasonal Demand

Memphis attracts over 12 million visitors annually, drawn by Graceland, Beale Street, Sun Studio, the National Civil Rights Museum, and the Memphis in May International Festival. Tourism-dependent businesses — hotels, restaurants, music venues, tour operators — experience significant call volume fluctuations. The Memphis in May festival alone draws hundreds of thousands of visitors over three weekends. VestaCall handles these spikes automatically, routing overflow calls and scaling capacity without any IT intervention.

Severe Weather and River Flooding

Memphis faces weather risks from severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and Mississippi River flooding. The 2011 Mississippi flood reached near-record levels in Memphis, disrupting businesses across the low-lying areas. VestaCall’s cloud infrastructure with automatic mobile failover keeps your 901 line operational even when your office floods or loses power. Your team continues taking calls on their mobile devices with the same 901 caller ID — no manual intervention required.

Memphis Investment Property Market

Memphis is one of the most popular markets in the country for out-of-state real estate investors purchasing rental properties. Property management companies serving these absentee owners need local 901 numbers to maintain tenant relationships, coordinate maintenance, and handle emergency calls. VestaCall’s smart IVR can route after-hours emergency maintenance calls to on-call staff while sending non-urgent requests to voicemail with automatic transcription — a critical capability for property managers handling hundreds of units.

Tri-State Business Region

Memphis sits at the intersection of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, and the Memphis metro effectively includes communities across all three states — Southaven, Olive Branch, and Horn Lake in Mississippi, and West Memphis in Arkansas. Businesses serving this tri-state market often need phone numbers in multiple area codes (901, 662, 870) to maintain local presence across state lines. VestaCall makes this easy — add numbers in multiple area codes under a single account, with unified call routing and billing.

Related Tennessee Area Codes

• 615 Area Code — Nashville metropolitan area
• 731 Area Code — Rural western Tennessee (Jackson, Dyersburg)

James Rivera

Regional Sales Director, VestaCall