Many residents in northeastern and central Pennsylvania will have to make calls by dialing 10 digits starting this fall.
The state Public Utility Commission said Wednesday that customers within the 570 area code will have to dial the area code plus the seven-digit phone number beginning September 21. The area code covers cities including Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport.
The 570 area code is already transitioning to 10-digit dialing. It will become mandatory a month before the new 272 area code is introduced on October 21 in the same region with the area running out of "570" numbers.
The state approved the new area code plan in 2010. Those who take a new 272 area code number will have to dial 10 digits, too.
Customers who request new service or an additional line, or who move their service starting Oct. 21 may be assigned a new 272 number.
Dialing 10 digits to make a call has become commonplace around the country. In Pennsylvania, the area codes of 610, 484, 267 and 215 in the southeastern part of the state already have 10-digit dialing, as do the western Pennsylvania area codes of 878, 412 and 724.
After the 570 area code transitions this fall, the only area codes in the state without 10-digit dialing will be 717 and 814 in central Pennsylvania.
570 Area Code Running Out of Phone Numbers
The area is running out of 570 numbers and will soon add another area code, which means people will need to dial 10 digits to make a call
Copyright AP - Associated Press
