FCC Mandates 10-Digit Dialing in 2022
UPDATE: As of June 22, 2022, Golden West is mandating 10-Digit Dialing.
Due to a new federal mandate, starting mid-2022 all telephone calls will need to include the area code when dialed – even local calls within the same town.
Adopting I0-digit dialing (area code plus telephone number) is necessary following the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designation of 988 as the three-digit abbreviated dial code for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline, coming in 2022. Because 988 is used as a prefix in the Sioux Falls area, phone systems won’t recognize the short dial as the national suicide hotline once it has been established. Implementation of 10-digit dialing applies to the entire 605 area code. As one of a handful of states with a single area code, everybody in South Dakota will be required to use 10-digit dialing.
To ease the transition, Golden West has already activated 10-digit dialing as an option. Customers can now dial either seven or 10 digits. After the cutover in mid-2022, 10-digit dialing will be required.
For more information, visit goldenwest.com/10DD.
