New dialing procedure for 573 area code

Missouri Public Service Commission officials have released instructions for 10-digit local dialing as part of the preparation process for a new area code in the region.

The 235 area code will soon be added as an overlay to the 573 region. An overlay is the addition of another area code to the same geographic region served by an existing area code. An overlay does not require customers to change their existing phone numbers, but does require customers to dial the area code for local calls.

A six-month permissive dialing period will begin Saturday, Aug. 26, to give consumers adequate time to adjust to the dialing changes.

During this period, local calls can be made with either seven or 10 digits.

Beginning Saturday, Feb. 24, all local calls made within the 573 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code plus the seven-digit telephone number). On and after that date, calls placed using just seven digits will not be completed.

All local calls will continue to be local -- not long distance -- despite dialing 10 digits.

"Customers are reminded that the 573 area code is not going away, and if they have a telephone number with the 573 area code, they will not lose or have to change their telephone number," Public Service Commission chairman Scott Rupp said in a release. "An overlay is a more efficient and less disruptive way to alleviate the exhaustion of available telephone numbers which is occurring in the 573 area code."

A commission release states starting Sunday, March 24, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 235 area code.