Get Ready to Dial All 10 Digits as of This Weekend

 

There will be a big change for people who live in certain area codes as of this weekend.

 

Starting Sunday, anyone making a local call in Illinois will have to dial the area code first, even for local calls. Your phone number will not change, but if you try to dial local without the area code, you will be infomed your call cannot be completed as dialed.

 

Citizens Utility Board spokesman Jim Chilsen says, "It's not the end of the world", but it's still an annoyance that could have been avoided.

 

Things like 911 can still be dialed with just those three numbers. 

 

A separate issue is that, as of Saturday, those in the 618 area will have to dial all 10 digits because of a new national suicide hotline that goes into service in the future. People with mental health challenges will soon be able to dial 988 anywhere in the US for help. That matter does not affect those in the 217 area.