10-digit dialing required as of Oct. 24

Dialing a number within the 907 area code will soon require all 10 digits of a phone number — that’s the number along with the area code.

Starting on Oct. 24, under a new federal requirement, it will be mandatory to dial all 10 numbers for calls within the same area code in more than six dozen area codes around the country. Although people can already dial all 10 digits to complete a call, the requirement won’t be hard-coded until the mandatory date.

After Oct. 24, callers may not be able to complete a call by dialing only seven digits and could hear a recording directing them to hang up and try again, according to a statement issued by Alaska Power & Telephone, which serves Wrangell and several other small communities.

The move comes as part of the Federal Communications Commission’s adoption of 988 as a nationwide number to be dialed to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, which began in July. Ten-digit dialing is necessary for all other calls for the 988 number to work.

AP&T stated that several things will remain the same with local service, such as:

Local telephone numbers, including the 907 area code, will not change.

The price of a call, coverage area or other rates and services will not change.

Local calls will remain local despite the 10-digit change.

Long distance calls will still require 1 + area code + phone number.

Three-digit service numbers such as 911, 711 and others will not change.

Along with changing dialing patterns, people will need to update all their services and dialing equipment or any other device that currently only dials seven digits for local numbers, such as medical alert systems, alarm services, voicemail or fax machines.