Changes to Phone Calls in Wisconsin Starting this Fall

Monday, March 15th, 2021 -- 8:16 AM

(AP) Wisconsin residents will have to dial 10 digits to make local calls starting this fall.

Right now people in Wisconsin can place a call to a number in the same area code without dialing the area code. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that beginning Oct. 23 people will need to include the area code in all calls.

The change will affect both landlines and cellphones across all six of Wisconsin’s area codes, including 262, 414, 534, 608, 715 and 920.  Two dozen other states that have not switched to 10-digit dialing also will be affected.

The change comes about because the Federal Communications Commission is establishing 988 as the new, nationwide phone number for suicide prevention and mental health help.

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