As of yesterday (Sunday, Oct. 24), you now have to include area codes when dialing to make all calls, including local calls. So go into your contacts in your phone and add the area code in for everyone. In NM, we have two of the 82 area codes nationwide that had to make this change.
What happens if you don’t add the area code in your contacts or don’t manually dial it? New Mexico state officials say calls dialed with only seven digits may not be completed, and a recording may inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. Those callers have to hang up and dial again using the area code and seven-digit telephone number.
The change is being made in those area codes where some phone numbers have 988 prefixes. The Federal Communications Commission last year chose 988 for use as the three-digit abbreviated dialing code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting next July.
Check out the full info in this Albuquerque Journal AP story.