Dialing the numbers for local telephone calls soon will require a little more work, due to the addition of a new area code to the territory covered by the 336 code.
The implementation of the new 743 area code — termed an “area code overlay” because it involves applying 743 to the same geographic region that will continue to be served by 336 — isn’t forcing customers to change their existing area code or phone numbers, officials say.
However, it in the next few months it will require residents in the region that includes Surry County to dial 10 digits for local-area calls rather than the traditional seven — to include the area code plus the telephone number. The local phone carrier CenturyLink recently notified its customers to begin using the new dialing procedure on Oct. 24, 2015 when placing a call from the 336 area code.
A temporary grace period now in effect is allowing calls for which only seven digits are used to still be completed, but on April 23 of this year the new dialing process will become mandatory. Not using that procedure after that date will trigger a recording, instructing callers to hang up and dial again.
This same dialing procedure will apply to telephone numbers assigned to the new 743 area code, to begin for new lines or services starting May 23.
Number strain
The addition of the area code overlay will ensure a continuing supply of new telephone numbers, according to local phone carrier CenturyLink, and alleviate a projected shortage of numbers.
It was mandated by the N.C. Utilities Commission, explained Dacia LaBounty, a CenturyLink spokeswoman for western North Carolina.
The 743 area code overlay addition generally affects the Piedmont region, encompassing Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, Asheboro and North Wilkesboro along with Surry County.
An area code overlay was considered by the state commission to be the least-disruptive among alternatives to ensure a healthy supply of numbers, which instead could have meant splitting up the 336 territory and forcing some communities to adopt the 743 code.
Area code overlays have been used successfully for years in North Carolina’s Charlotte and Triangle areas.
The price of calls now made by dialing seven digits, or other rates or services, will not change when 10 digits are dialed as a result of the new overlay procedure, CenturyLink says. What now is considered a local call will remain so under the change.
Long-distance calls still will require dialing 1, then the area code and telephone number.
Getting word out
The change in the dialing procedure for local-area calls hasn’t been a huge topic of conversation, but LaBounty, the CenturyLink spokeswoman, mentioned in late December that the company is working to ensure subscribers are informed.
“Our customers were sent the first education notice in September of 2015, and a second customer education notice will be mailed out before the end of 2016’s first quarter,” LaBounty added.
CenturyLink’s initial notice to local subscribers notes that additional questions can be directed to a customer care representative via a number included with monthly phone bills.
Customers also can consult an Internet site, http://www.ncuc.net/, for further details, the company says.
Automatic dialing
Along with dialing 10 digits for local calls rather than seven, the area code overlay program will require some other steps among customers.
All services, automatic dialing equipment or other kinds of devices programmed with a seven-digit number will need to be reprogrammed using the new dialing procedures.
Examples of equipment or services affected include life safety systems, alarm and security systems, fax machines, mobile phone contact lists, speed-dialers, call-forwarding settings, Internet dial-up numbers and voice-mail systems, among others.
Customers will still be able to dial 911 for help in an emergency and in communities in which 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 codes are available, these also will continue to be accessed using only three digits.
Tom Joyce may be reached at 336-415-4693 or on Twitter @Me_Reporter.