518 + 838 = 10
Callers must dial local area code beginning Saturday
ALBANY, N.Y. » Capital Region phone users will have to dial three extra digits beginning Saturday when making local calls.
As part of the introduction of a second area code in eastern upstate NewYork, residential, business andwireless customerswithin the existing 518 area code will have to dial 10 digits when making a telephone call, adding the area code to the sevendigit number currently dialed. The additional di-
aling is required as a result of the introduction of the new 838 area code, which will formally take effect Sept. 19.
The new area code was approved in 2016 by the state Public Service Commission to allow telephone companies to accommodate the increasing need for telephone numbers in northeastern New York, as well as predicted demand for new telephone numbers. To ensure a continuing supply of numbers, the commission in September 2016 approved an area code overlay for the area currently served by the 518 area code. The new area code will be superimposed over the same geographical area as the existing 518 area code, which includes all or part of 17 counties, including Albany, Columbia, Hamilton, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties.
To allow consumers time to adjust to the new dialing pattern, the commission put in place a permissive dialing period that began March 18, allowing callers the choice of dialing a sevenor 10- digit local number. However, beginning Saturday, all calls within and between the 518 and 838 area codes must be placed using the 10-digit number. Calls to other area codes will continue to be dialed with the prefix 1 followed by the 10-digit number.
The commission said customers will not see a change in their current phone number, including area code, and the price of a call, as well as the price of other telephone services, will not change due to the new area code. The commission also pointed out that calls to reach 911 emergency services will still require callers to only dial those three digits, as is the case for 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 services available in individual communities,
The commission also reminded phone customers to ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software or other types of equipment recognize the new 838 area code as a valid area code and be reprogrammed to dial all 10 digits of a local number.