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Ten Digit Dial

Mandatory Ten Digit Dialing

Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing

Beginning October 24, 2021, you will be required to use 10 digits when placing calls from your wireless or landline phone. This includes calls within your area code that you may currently only dial with seven digits. To complete local calls, you will need to dial the three-digit area code + seven-digit telephone number. In preparation for this deadline, you should also review your contacts and update saved numbers to include the area code. If you already use 10 digits for local calls, you don’t need to do anything.

Why is this being required?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted 988 as a new three-digit number to be used nationwide to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, starting July 16, 2022. Customers must continue to dial 1-800-273-TALK to reach the Lifeline until July 16, 2022.  In order to support the 988 short-dial number, carriers need to implement 10-digit local dialing and you will need to change the way you dial local calls.

Who will be affected?

Anyone with a telephone number from your area code will need to make this change from seven-digit local dialing to the mandatory ten-digit dialing.

When will the change begin?

You should begin dialing 10 digits (area code + telephone number) for all calls now. If you forget and dial just seven digits, your call will still be completed. Beginning October 24, 2021, you must dial 10-digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls or they may not be completed. A recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed, and you will need to hang up and dial again using the area code and the seven-digit number.

Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing 988 will route your call to National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. Customers must continue to dial 1-800-273-TALK to reach the Lifeline until that date.

Will anything else change?

In addition to changing the way you dial local calls, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or any equipment programmed to complete calls to seven-digit local numbers will need to be reprogrammed to complete calls to 10-digit numbers. Some examples are life safety systems or medical monitoring devices, PBX systems, fax machines, fire or burglar alarm and security systems, speed dialers, phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services and other similar functions. Be sure to check contact information on your website, personal and business letterhead, advertising materials, personal and business checks, personal or pet ID tags, and other such items to ensure the area code is included.

What will remain the same?

  • Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
  • The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the dialing change.
  • What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed.
  • You will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all long distance calls.
  • You can still dial just three digits to reach 911 (emergency services) and 711 (relay services)
  • Any 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, or 811 services available in your community can still be reached by dialing their three-digit codes.
  • The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Who may you contact with questions?

If you have any questions, please call customer care at 800-826-5215 or Contact Us. You can also visit the FCC website at https://https://www.fcc.gov/988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline.