FCC to Require 10-Digit Dialing Code for Wisconsin starting Sunday
October 19, 2021 12:00PM CDT
Beginning this Sunday Oct. 24th, all customers with the area codes 262, 414, 608, and 920 will need to dial the area code and number in order to connect their local and long-distance calls. This will apply to all calls that are currently dialed with seven digits.
The change comes after the Federal Communications Commissions approved ‘988’ as the three-digit abbreviated dialing code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting next July. To ensure ‘988’ calls reach the lifeline, providers in 36 states including Wisconsin and Illinois, must transition to 10-digit dialing systems.
Calls made on or after October 24th will not be connected with only seven digits.
The 10-digit dialing requirement will not change the following:
- A customer’s telephone number, including current area code;
- The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services;
- A local call will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed;
- Customers will continue to dial 1+ the area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls;
- Customers will continue to dial a prefix (such as “9”) when dialing from a multi-line telephone system (e.g., in a hotel, office building, etc.) as required;
- Customers can still dial three digits to reach 711 (relay services) and 911 (emergency services);
- If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, or 811 are currently available in a community, customers can continue to dial these codes with just three digits; and
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) even after the ‘988’ code is in effect.