WICHITA, Kan. — People with the 620 and 785 phone area code will have to start dialing 10 digits to complete local calls starting Sunday.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the reason for the change is to avoid conflicts when the Federal Communications Commission implements 988 as the three-number speed-dial code to reach a suicide prevention hotline next year. Kansas Corporation Commission spokeswoman Linda Berry says 988 is used as a prefix for some numbers in the 620 and 785 areas.
From Sunday on, phone users in those areas who try to dial without their area code will get a recording that the call cannot be completed.
