The Missouri Public Service Commission has opened a case at the request of the Public Service Commission to assist staff regarding an order from the Federal Communications Commission requiring ten-digit local dialing in four of Missouri’s six area codes by July 15, 2022.
The change to ten-digit local dialing is necessary to allow for the establishment of “988” as a three-digit code to reach a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
To avoid conflict with the new 988 code, all United States area codes that use a 988 NPA prefix (for example 314-988-xxxx) must move to ten-digit local dialing. In Missouri, the affected area codes are 314, 417, 660, and 816. Area codes 573 and 636 do not use a 988 NPA prefix and can continue to use seven-digit local dialing.
Staff intends to use this case to communicate with Missouri’s telecommunications providers about their plans to implement ten-digit dialing and to gather company-specific information about the timing of implementing ten-digit local dialing as well as general plans for notifying customers and other entities. The staff plans to periodically report on its findings to the Commission.
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