Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing in Dallas

[Tad Cook]

Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing Starts Saturday in Dallas
The Dallas Morning News

Starting Saturday, calls between the 972 and 214 area codes require
all 10 digits. Callers who forget to start their dialing with the 214
or 972 prefix will get either a wrong number or -- for 60 days -- a
message reminding them to include the area code. There are no new
charges for calls that have been free, but long-distance calls into
the new 972 region will also require the new area code.

Calls within the codes will still work with only seven digits.

The Dallas area got its new area code last September. The new 972
region includes the extreme northern and southern parts of the city of
Dallas and surrounding areas. Most of Dallas and small parts of western
Mesquite and Garland kept the 214 area code.

North Texas is one of about 55 U.S. regions receiving new area
codes. The reasons? New technology that gobbles up phone lines and new
phone companies that must be assigned their own blocks of numbers.

The Fort Worth region is due for its own area code change in late
May, and regulators are already planning more new codes in the Dallas area
before 2000.

"We know people are just getting used to the new codes, and we feel it's
too bad we have to turn around and do it again," said Leslie Kjellstrand,
spokeswoman for the Public Utility Commission of Texas.