For most North Royalton residents and businesses, local calls now require ten-digit dialing, which includes the area codes. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made the change on October 24, to make way for an upcoming addition to phone services.
In order to place a local call, residents must dial the area code + telephone number (or 1 + the area code + telephone number as applicable). Local calls dialed with only 7 digits will not be completed, and a recording may inform the caller that the call cannot be completed as dialed..
The FCC adopted 988 as a new 3-digit number to connect callers to the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline in the United States. The new service will start on July 16, 2022. At that point, the phone service provider will transmit 988 calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is presently 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).
In order for the new 988 service to work, all phone service providers are requiring the 10-digit local dialing in order to complete local and long-distance calls. In Ohio, presently those residing in the areas using 440 and 513 area codes must now utilize the ten-digit phone numbers.
Wireless customers may dial either 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach the Lifeline at this time, but landline customers must continue to dial 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach the Lifeline until July 16, 2022.
Some equipment, such as life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, fire or burglar alarm systems, other security systems or gates, speed dialers, PBXs, mobile or other wireless phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services may need to be reprogrammed.
Due to this dialing change, the price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change. Dialing 911 for emergency services remains the same.
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer