“Your call cannot be completed as dialed…”
As of Sunday, people who live in the 530 area code — including residents of Colusa County — will no longer be able to make local calls simply be entering seven-digit numbers and will be required to dial using 11 digits (1 + area code + telephone number) to make phone calls due to a change in federal rules aimed at providing easier access to crisis resources nationwide.
The change will affect eight more California area codes, including 209, 562, 626, 650, 707, 925, 949, and 951. Sacramento’s 916 and 279 area codes will not notice a change and have been dialing the extra digits for more than three years.
Calls attempted without the necessary three-digit area code — with a 1 ahead of it — will not be completed, and callers will be informed that they must hang up and try again.
Why are 10 digits required?
In July 2020, the Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules that established 988 as a quick way to dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, similar to 911 for emergency calls. In the United States, 82 area codes that currently operate with seven-digit calling — including the nine California area codes soon to be affected — use 988 as a central office exchange code, allowing for easier dialing. To ensure that all callers trying to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline successfully complete their calls, these 82 area codes needed to switch to 10-digit or 11-digit dialing (California and Illinois).
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 or 11-digit numbers (in California and Illinois). 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, and some 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 calling change. What is considered a local call now will remain a local call, regardless of the number of digits called. You can continue to call 1+ area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls. Three-digit numbers, including 911 for emergencies, will remain in place. Any 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, or 811 services available in your community are supposed to remain in place.
Who can you contact with questions?
If you have any questions regarding the new 10 digit dialing, call Frontier at 1 (800) 921-8101, Comcast 1 (800) 934-6489, Verizon Wireless 1 (800) 922-0204, AT&T 1 (800) 331-0500, or your telephone service provider. You can also visit the FCC website
fcc.gov/suicide-prevention-hotline. ■