Starting Sunday, Tucson residents will have to include 520 area code when making local calls

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - A large number of Arizona residents will have to get used to including the area code when making local calls.

Starting Oct. 24, those in the area codes 520 (southern Arizona), 480 (parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties) and 928 (northern and western Arizona) will have to dial all 10 digits to make a local call.

The main area code for the Phoenix area, 602, won’t be impacted. A map of the Arizona area codes can be found HERE.

Starting April 24, those who don’t include the area code for local calls will get a recording warning them about the upcoming change. They will still be able to make the call though.

The change is necessary because of the new nationwide suicide hotline, which goes live July 16, 2021. The hotline’s number is 988 and the area codes 520, 480 and 928 all have numbers with a 988 prefix. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing 1-800-273-TALK even after the 988 code goes into effect.

According to KOLD sister station KCBD, several other changes will need to be made before the October deadline.

Equipment for safety/security, medical alert devices and alarm/security systems will need to be programmed using the 10-digit format.

Most systems use 10-digit dialing by default, but some older equipment may still use seven digits.

Residents in the impacted areas should contact their medical alert or security provider to check,

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