Kansas City, MO – Soon, when many Kansas residents 'dial' their landlines and cell phones, they'll have to use 10-digits instead of the typical seven.
The Federal Communications Commission approved 988 as the new abbreviated number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline last year. As a result, any area code that uses the 988 prefix in phone numbers is mandated by the FCC to adopt 10-digit dialing.
Beginning October 24th, callers in the Kansas 785 and 620 area codes must use 10-digit dialing, or the call will not go through. The only exceptions are any three digit abbreviated numbers available in the community, such as 911.
A practice period begins Saturday, April 24th for folks to get used to using 10-digit dialing. Any calls dialed with 7-digits will still go through during the practice period.
This rule change does not affect the 316 area code in the Wichita metro area, where there was no 988 prefix.