Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing to Begin in NJ

Affects Area Code 609 and Portions of Area Code 856

On Aug 17, 2018

As part of the introduction of the new 640 area code in central and southeastern New Jersey, mandatory 10-digit dialing will begin on August 18 for landline and wireless customers with the existing 609 area code and a portion of area code 856.  On or after August 18, all calls made within and between area codes 609 and 640 must be placed using the 10-digit number (609 or 640 plus the 7-digit telephone number).

If customers forget and dial just the 7-digit telephone number, they’ll hear a recording instructing them to hang up and dial again using the area code. The new 640 area code will overlay and serve the same geographic region as the existing 609 area code.

The new 640 area code may be assigned to customers requesting new phone numbers as soon as September 17, 2018.

The most important facts that consumers need to know about the upcoming 640 area code overlay are:

• Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• You will need to dial the area code + telephone number for all calls within and between the 609 and 640 area codes.
• You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all calls to other area codes (outside of 609 and 640), and also for calls between 856 and 609 or 640.
• What is now a local call will remain a local call.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• 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.

Customers should identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number (area code + seven-digit telephone number), and include the area code when giving the number to their friends, family, business associates and business customers, etc.

Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed to dial a seven-digit number from a 609 area code are reprogrammed to use the new dialing procedures.

Some examples are life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, stored telephone numbers in mobile and cordless phone contact lists, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems or gates, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions.

Customers also should check their personal and business stationery, checks, advertising materials, websites, contact information, and personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in the telephone number.

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