Arkansas 501, Missouri 417 Area Codes Among Those Going to 10-Digit Dialing Wednesday

Callers in Arkansas’ 501 and Missouri’s 417 area codes will be required to dial the full 10 digits of phone numbers beginning Wednesday.

Across 36 states, 82 area codes will have to switch to 10-digit dialing including:

-Arkansas 501;
-Missouri 314, 417, 660 and 816.

Somos, Inc., a registry management and data solutions company serving as the North American Plan Administrator (NANPA), announced the transition in January on behalf of the FCC.

As part of the announcement, consumers with numbers in the impacted area codes were instructed beginning April 24 to start dialing 10 digits for all local calls. During this permissive dialing period, those who forgot and dialed just seven digits still had their call completed.

The change is part of a directive for the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.

The change was approved by the FCC in 2020. It requires service providers to make all changes necessary to ensure that users can call 988 if they need help, by July 16, 2022.

Dialing 988 will connect callers to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

The FCC order requires any area code that includes phone numbers that begin with a 988 to switch to 10-digit dialing.

Other changes that need to be made

Important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices, and alarm and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10-digit dialing by default but some older equipment may still use seven digits. Other examples of services that may need to be re-programmed Include:

-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
-voicemail services and other similar functions.

(From: KTLO)