Sept. 10, 2021

A majority of Kansas residents will have to dial 10 digits to make local calls starting in October — part of an order by the Federal Communications Commission.

If you have a 620 or 785 area code, you’ll soon have to dial an area code — even for local calls — beginning Oct. 24. We are encouraging our customers to begin getting used to dialing 10 digits ahead of time.

The change is a result of an FCC order establishing “988” as the new nationwide hotline to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. Our team has already transitioned all automatic dialing equipment to handle the requirement. We have also already made all the necessary network modifications to ensure users can dial 988 when the hotline goes into effect next year.

Who will be affected?

In Kansas, anyone with a telephone number from area codes 785 and 620 will need to make this change from 7-digit local dialing to 10-digit local dialing. This order also affects several other states across the nation.

When do we need to start dialing 10 digits?

• Beginning Oct. 24, 2021, you must dial 10-digits for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7-digits may not be completed and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed.
• Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing “988” will route your call to the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. During the transition to 988, Americans who need help should continue to contact the crisis lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255.

What will remain the same?

• Local phone numbers, including the area code, will not change. 
• What is now a local call will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed. 
• You will still dial 1 plus the 620 or 785 area code for all long-distance calls. 
• Callers can still dial just three digits to reach 711 relay services or 911 emergency services. 
• Any 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, or 811 services can still be reached by dialing their three-digit codes.
• IdeaTek’s rates and services will not change due to the dialing change. 

For more information, contact our Customer Experience Team at 855-433-2835.