Residents of northeastern and parts of central Pennsylvania will have to dial 10 digits in order to make phone calls starting next week.
The state Public Utility Commission says customers within the 570 area code will have to dial the area code plus the phone number beginning Saturday. The area code covers cities including Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport.
The change comes ahead of the introduction of the 272 area code, which will be assigned in the region beginning Oct. 21. The area is running out of 570 numbers.
Those who take a new 272 number will have to dial 10 digits, too.
Customers who dial only seven numbers will hear a recording asking them to hang up and try again using 10 digits.
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