New 235 Area Code will be off and running March 24

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MICHAEL BOYD JR., Ste. Genevieve Herald

We are just seven days away from the new 235 area code officially being born.

Beginning March 24, Missourians within the 573 area code — the central, northeast, and southeast regions — will see the sister phone dialing code 235 on their Caller IDs.

Also, everyone within the 573 and now 235 calling region must dial 10 digits to make a phone call, even within the same area codes.

The new area code of 235 does not replace 573, but the two will be like a tag team for local calls in the Show-Me State.

The process started on Feb. 24 to prepare the 573 region, but 235 is not completely functional.

This is all due to the massive number of phone numbers added over the past three decades. The available numbers for 573 simply have run out.

As part of that process, customers should now be ready for 10-digit local dialing.

The 235 area code will be added as an overlay to the 573 region. An overlay is the addition of another area code (such as 235) to the same geographic region served by an existing area code of 573.

The seven-month permissive dialing period to give consumers adequate time to adjust to the dialing changes is now over.

Now, local calls will be made with either seven or 10 digits, and all local calls will continue to be local even though they dial 10 digits.

So, on March 24, calls placed using just seven digits will not be completed.

This is also the date when any new phone lines will possibly receive the 235 code.

Key facts for consumers to know about the upcoming 573/235 area code overlay are:

– Your current telephone number, including your current area code, will not change.

– What is a local call now will remain a local call.

– If you seek new phone service on and after March 24, 2024, you may be assigned a phone number with the 235 area code.

– For all local calls, including calls within the same area code, you will need to dial the area code + telephone number.

– You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls.

– The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.

– You can still dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988. You can also dial three digits to reach 211, 311, 511, and 811 where available.

The Missouri Public Service Commission, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) and the telecommunications industry each remind customers to ensure all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment are reprogrammed to dial 10 digits if they are programmed to dial just seven digits and recognize the new 235 area code as a valid area code.

Customers should also check important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices. Alarm and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10-digit dialing by default, but some older equipment may still use seven digits.

The 573 and 235 area codes serve communities such as Ste. Genevieve County, Perry County, and St. Francois County, as well as Jefferson City, Columbia, Rolla, Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, Mexico, Hannibal, Camdenton, Waynesville, Farmington, and Caruthersville.

A similar situation happened some 25 years ago. In January 1996, most of southeastern Missouri was removed from the 314 area code. St. Louis alone remained in 314, while the rest of the region adopted the brand new 573 area code.

Later, the 636 area code was also added in and around St. Louis.

For additional information, visit the Missouri Public Service Commission at https://psc.mo.gov/Telecommunications/Telephone_NumbersLocal_Dialing or contact your local telephone service provider.

Mark Evans is the editor of the Ste. Genevieve Herald.