Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing Becomes Effective on October 24, 2021 for Multiple States/Area Codes
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 for 988 to work in many area codes, mandatory 10-digit local dialing will be implemented. If your area code is included in the list, you will need to dial the area code for all local calls starting on October 24, 2021.
What is the new dialing procedure?
To complete all local calls, you will now need to dial 1 + area code + telephone number. This applies to all calls within your area code that are currently dialed with seven digits.
Example: 1 + 707 + 547 + 3400
Who will be affected?
Anyone with a telephone number from the following California area codes (as well as a few dozen in other states) will need to make a change from 7-digit local dialing to 10-digit local dialing.
| Affected California Area Codes | Region |
|---|---|
| 209 | Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne counties. Portions of 209 are located within the Sacramento, Stockton and Fresno Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). |
| 530 | The Sacramento Valley (including some outer suburbs of Sacramento), Shasta Cascade, and the northern Sierra Nevada. |
| 562 | Much of southeastern Los Angeles County, including Long Beach, and parts of northern Orange County. |
| 626 | Most of the San Gabriel Valley and nearby areas in the northeastern portion of Los Angeles County, including Arcadia, Monrovia, El Monte, most of Pasadena and West Covina. |
| 650 | South Bay Area |
| 707 | Coastal Northern California, north from Vallejo to the Oregon border, southern portions of 707 located in the San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Vallejo Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). |
| 925 | Contra Costa and Alameda |
| 949 | Most of the southern part of Orange County, California, including major cities such as Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Lake Forest, and Newport Beach. |
| 951 | Riverside County |
When will the change begin?
Beginning October 24, 2021, you must dial 10 digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7 digits may not be completed, and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. You must hang up and and dial again using the area code and the 7-digit number.
Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing “988” will route your call to the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline.
What will you need to do?
In addition to changing the way you dial local calls, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed to complete calls to 7-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, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, fire or burglar alarm and security systems or gates, speed dialers, mobile or other wireless phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services and other similar functions. Be sure to check your website, personal and business stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, contact information, your 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 711 (relay services) and 911 (emergency 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).