The Maui News

Ten-digit dialing will take effect on Oct. 24, requiring anyone making a local call in Hawaii to dial the “808” area code plus the telephone number to ensure it will go through, Hawaii Telcom reminded residents.

The Federal Communications Commission is requiring the change for U.S. telecommunications providers in order to allow “988” to become the three-digit code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting July 16, 2022.

Hawaii is among 36 states that used the “988” prefix and had to transition to 10-digit dialing for local calls, according to Hawaiian Telcom, one of the providers having to make network changes.

April 24 through Oct. 23 is known as a permissive dialing period when 10-digit local calls were encouraged but seven-digit local calls would still go through. Beginning on Oct. 24, callers in Hawaii who don’t dial the area code and telephone number may hear a recording informing them that their call cannot be completed as dialed.

Safety and security equipment, such as medical alert and monitoring devices, and alarms, security systems and gates must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing by Oct. 24 to avoid interruption. Residents should contact their medical alert or security provider if they are not sure whether their equipment needs to be reprogrammed to accommodate the upcoming change. Other devices and services that may need to be reprogrammed include PBXs, fax machines, internet dial-up numbers, speed dialers, wireless phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services and other similar functions.

Residents should also check their websites, personal and business stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, contact information, personal or pet ID tags and other such items to ensure the area code is included.

Telephone numbers, the price of a call, coverage area and other rates and services will not change, Hawaiian Telcom said. Local calls will remain local calls regardless of the number of digits dialed.

Callers will continue to dial “1” plus the area code and telephone number of all long-distance calls, and will still need to dial a prefix, such as “9” when dialing from a multiline telephone system (such as in a hotel, office building, etc.) as required.

They can still dial just three digits to reach relay services at “711” and emergency services at “911.”

Even after the “988” code takes effect, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing (800) 273-TALK (8255). Callers trying to reach the suicide prevention hotline should still dial the 10-digit number until July 16, 2022, when dialing “988” will route calls to the hotline.

For more information, visit nationalnanpa.com/transition_ to_10_digit_dialing_for_988, email questions to 988@somos.com or visit fcc.gov/suicide-prevention-hotline.

Hawaiian Telcom customers may also visit hawaiiantel.com/dial808 for more information.