COLORADO SPRINGS — Starting Sunday, October 24 customers who don't dial the full 10 digits, which is the area code plus the telephone number, will not have their call go through.
This is due to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) making 988 the dialing code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which starts in July of 2022.
In order for 988 to work, customers in many area codes around the country with seven-digit local dialing must be transitioned to 10-digit local dialing, this includes the 719 and 970 area codes in Colorado.
This change officially started back in April, but the months since then have been part of a "permissive dialing period," so if callers forget to dial all 10 digits the call would still be completed.
According to the FCC, this change will affect 82 area codes in 35 states.
The FCC warns that other services and equipment may also need to be re-programmed due to the change.
Services that may need to be re-programmed are:
- life safety systems or medical monitoring devices
- private branch exchanges (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
The change will not affect current telephone numbers, the price of a call, coverage area, etc.
Customers can also still dial just three digits to reach three-digit codes such as 911 and 711.
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