Here is a brief timeline of events:
1975
The year Alabama’s Damage Prevention program was born. Known then as the Alabama Line Location Center (ALLC), it was founded by South Central Bell, Alabama Power Company, and Alabama Gas Corporation, initially serving Jefferson and Shelby counties. That first year, over 7,000 locate requests were processed as the program rapidly expanded statewide. The operations were manned by South Central Bell.
1976
Alabama Line Location Center expanded its focus for the entire state of Alabama and processed a little over 11.5 thousand locate requests.
1987
A pivotal moment in our history. Following AT&T’s divestiture, South Central Bell transitioned the operations of Alabama Line Location Center to Alabama Gas Corporation. This change set the stage for greater growth and sustainability.
1994
We officially became a nonprofit organization, adopting the name Alabama One Call. This change aligned us with national standards and highlighted our role as a centralized communication hub for safe digging. Statewide damage prevention legislation was passed, making it a requirement in Alabama to “call before you dig”.
2011
In the spirit of national branding and awareness, Alabama One Call rebranded as Alabama 811. This marked a new era of outreach, making “811 before you dig” synonymous with safety. This also helped solidify the national allocation of dialing 811 with damage prevention and the state One Call name.
What Has Changed Since 1975
The two major changes relate to:
Technology: Initially, locate requests were manually handled. Today, advanced digital platforms make processing requests faster, more efficient, and more reliable than ever.
Infrastructure Growth: From modest beginnings in two counties to serving the entire state, our network has grown alongside Alabama’s booming economy and development. The 811 program now supports nearly 700 underground facility owners with their underground damage prevention programs.
What Hasn’t Changed
Our mission: To enhance communications and coordination among public agencies, utilities, and contractors, in order to promote public safety and prevent damage to underground facilities, by processing timely and efficient notification of excavation.
In 2025, we processed almost 640 thousand locate requests. Historically that is over 14.5 million locate requests since our inception in 1975.
Looking Forward to the Future
As we celebrated our golden anniversary, we didn’t just look back, but we continued looking ahead. The next 50 years promise unprecedented growth in infrastructure and technology. Alabama 811’s role will be more crucial than ever in ensuring safety and supporting the state’s development.