Nationwide 10-Digit Dialing Required to Implement “988”
As part of the 988-implementation process, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) has identified 84 area codes that must transition to 10-digit dialing before the deadline for the number to be operational. The FCC’s July 2020 Order requires all telecommunications carriers, interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers, and one-way VoIP providers to make any network changes necessary to ensure that users can dial 988 to reach the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) by July 16, 2022 (see JSI’s e-Lert for more information on the Order).
The FCC directed NANPA to develop an implementation schedule that will allow all covered providers to meet the deadline to transition to 10-digit dialing in areas that both use seven-digit dialing and use 988 as the first three numbers in seven-digit phone numbers. During an August 14, 2020, conference call, NANPA discussed the 84 area codes which will need to convert to 10-digit dialing, as well as the conversion schedule, technical milestones and customer education efforts.
If your company serves any of the area codes required to convert to 10-digit dialing or if you have 988 as a central office code (prefix), please contact one of our experts by clicking the button below to review your requirements under the Order and the NANPA 10-digit dialing transition plan.
LNP Essentials
Clients interested in following all of the news about numbering, porting and robocall mitigation should consider subscribing to JSI’s LNP Essentials bundle. The subscription includes breaking news alerts, webinars and interactive call sessions designed to keep clients informed about important industry decisions that will impact their company operations.