Harrisonville Telephone Company said this week that beginning April 24, all customers in the 618 area code should start dialing the area code plus telephone number for all local calls. 

“All services, automatic dialing equipment or other types of equipment (life safety systems, fax machines, fire or burglar alarms, mobile contact lists, call forwarding, etc.) that are programmed to complete local calls using only seven-digit numbers will need to be reprogrammed to complete calls to 10-digit numbers, HTC stated in a news release.

HTC said that in July 2020, the FCC established 988 as a nationwide three-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health counselors. In conjunction with establishing 988, the FCC also mandated 10-digit dialing for all local calls.

Any local phone call made in the 618 area code will not go through after Oct. 24, and a recording will say that your call cannot be completed as dialed. Customers will not have to change phone numbers and the price of the call will not change due to the dialing change.

For more information, call HTC at 618-939-6112.