INDIANAPOLIS – Starting this weekend, Sunday, October 24, everyone in northern Indiana’s 219 and 574 codes will need to use 10 digits, rather than seven, to make local phone calls.

Local calls made with seven digits will still work until the end of the Sunday permissive dialing period, which has been established to give everyone time to adjust to the new dialing pattern and make the required changes to the dialing pattern. system before 10-digit dialing became mandatory for local calls. calls. This six-month transition period began in April.

The change to the 10-digit numbering is necessary to accommodate the National “988” Suicide Prevention Lifeline as designated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). All telecommunications providers in the United States are required to implement the three-digit code 988 for the national hotline by July 16, 2022. Under the FCC order, 10-digit dialing must be in place before that date for any area code with a “988” prefix.

As of this Sunday, October 24, you must use 10-digit dialing for all local phone calls. After this date, if you do not use 10 digits, your call will not be terminated and a recording will ask you to hang up and dial again.

From July 16, 2022, the national suicide prevention lifeline will be accessible by calling the three-digit code 988. The lifeline can be reached before and after this date at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

The most important facts that residential consumers and businesses in these area codes should know are:

• Your phone number, including the current area code, will not change.

• You will need to dial the area code and phone number (a total of 10 digits) for all local calls to zones 219 and 574.

• You will continue to dial 1 plus area code plus phone number (a total of 11 digits) for all long distance calls.

• Calls that are now local will remain so.

• 10-digit dialing for local calls will not change the price of a call, your coverage area, or other rates and services.

• You can still dial three digits to reach 911 for emergency services.

• You can continue to dial three digits to dial 211 (social services), 411 (directory assistance), 711 (telecommunications relay service) or 811 (call to request the location of the utility before digging).

• You should start including the area code with your local seven-digit phone numbers when providing numbers to others.

• You must ensure that all preprogrammed numbers for local calls are configured to include the area code. Examples include life security systems, health surveillance services, PBXs, fax machines, Internet access numbers, alarm and security systems, portals, speed dials, telephone contact lists. mobile / cordless phones, call forwarding settings, voicemail services and similar features.

• You should check your website, stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, personal or pet ID tags, microchips, and other items to make sure the phone number includes the area code.

All safety and security equipment, including medical alert devices and alarm systems, should be programmed for mandatory 10-digit local dialing, unless calls are already directed to wireless phone numbers. charges or long distance. If you are unsure whether your equipment needs to be reprogrammed, contact your Medical Alert or Safety Department. All necessary reprogramming must be completed by Sunday October 24th.

Specific area codes in 35 states, including the four neighboring states of Indiana, implement 10-digit dialing to accommodate the 988 Lifeline.

Mandatory 10-digit numbering has been in place for several years in Indiana area codes 317 and 812; it was implemented to accommodate the addition of new “overlapping” area codes due to reduced number supplies.

Area codes 260 and 765 are not affected.

A video summarizing the changes is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ODK_a82-Y.