In accordance with industry changes, mandatory 10-digit dialing for the Kentucky 270 area code begins Feb. 1.
To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the new 364 area code will be added to the area served by 270. This is known as an area code overlay. Get ready to change the way you dial your local calls.
What is an area code overlay?
An overlay is the addition of another area code (364) to the same geographic region as an existing area code (270). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code or telephone number.
Who will be affected?
The 270 area code generally covers the western half of Kentucky serving communities such as Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Henderson, Hopkinsville, Owensboro and Paducah. The new 364 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the exiting 270 area code.
What will be the new dialing procedure?
To complete local calls, the new dialing procedure requires callers to dial area code + telephone number. This means that all calls in the 270 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using area code + telephone number. The same dialing procedure will apply to telephone numbers assigned to the new 364 area code.
When will the change begin?
You should now begin using the new dialing procedures whenever you place a call from the 270 area code. If you forget and dial just seven digits, your call will still be completed.
Beginning Feb. 1, you must use the new dialing procedures, as described above to all
calls. After this date, if you do not use the new dialing procedures, your calls will not be completed and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again
Beginning March 3 new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 364 area code.
What will you need to do?
In addition to changing your dialing procedures, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed with a 7-digit number will need to be reprogrammed to use the new dialing procedures. Some examples are life safety systems, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, gates, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, etc. You may also want to check your business stationery or advertising materials to ensure the area code is included.
What will remain the same?
Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed.
You will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all long distance call.
You can still dial just three digits to reach 911.
If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, or 811 are currently available in your community, you will still dial these codes with just three digits.
According to Richie Chism, deputy director of the Network Enterprise Center, Fort Knox, users may still dial the five-digit number for on post numbers. To dial an off-post number, users will need to dial 99, then the 10-digit phone number. Only long distance calls will require the use of a 1 after the 99 code.
