10-Digit Dialing Starts Sunday In Parts Of NY

NEW YORK— It starts Sunday: Residents in the Hudson Valley and Nassau County are among the many in multiple states who will be required to dial all 10 digits to make local calls within their areas codes.

Plus, you must update safety and security equipment such as medical alert devices and alarm and security systems to use 10-digit dialing.

Some other examples of services that you may need to re-program are:

• mobile or other wireless phone contact lists
• voicemail services and other similar functions
• call forwarding settings
• PBXs
• fax machines
• Internet dial-up numbers
• speed dialers

Also, check your website, personal and business stationery, personal and business checks, contact information, personal or pet ID tags, advertising materials, and other such items to ensure the area code is included.

This is happening now because the Federal Communications Commission adopted 988 as a new three-digit number to be used nationwide to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Line.

(The change in the hotline number doesn’t take place until July 16, 2022; meanwhile, people should continue to dial 1-800-273-TALK to reach the crisis hotline.)

Thing is, that three-digit number — 988 — which will be used to reach the suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline had previously been assigned as a prefix in 82 area codes in 35 states and the U.S. territory of Guam.

In New York, the following area codes are affected by the switch to 10-digit dialing:

• 516
• 607
• 716
• 845
• 914

Everyone with phone numbers in those area codes must dial 10 digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls.

On and after Oct. 24, local calls dialed with only seven digits may not be completed, and a recording may inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. If you get this recording, you must hang up and dial again using the area code with the seven-digit telephone number.

(Many people already have to use 10-digit dialing because of area code “overlays” — that is, regions where more than one area code is assigned because of demand for phone numbers.)

Making the switch means adding the area code to local calls plus reprogramming automatic dialing equipment. You might also have to change your email signature or stationery if they don’t include the area code.

You should literally think of everything that has your address on it, and include the area code in the contact number.

People making calls on landlines will still dial 1+ for long-distance calls. (Regardless of the phone they’re using, residents of California will have to dial 1+ the 10-digit number, as will people in parts of Illinois.)

Emergency service calls to 911 and 711 (a relay service used by people who are deaf or hearing impaired) will be made as they are now, by dialing the three digits. Any 211, 311, 411, 511, 611 or 811 services available in your community can still be reached by dialing their three-digit codes.

The affected states:

Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Louisiana;

Also, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

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+ the area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls
• You 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
• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) even after the 988 code is in effect.

Read more on the 988 suicide crisis hotline.