Calling a 217 number? You'll need ten digits from now on.
Dial (217) + the seven-digit number.
Plus, an additional 447 area code will start serving the current 217 area beginning March 27, 2021.
Dial (217) + the seven-digit number.
Plus, an additional 447 area code will start serving the current 217 area beginning March 27, 2021.
All customers who have a 217 or 447 area code telephone number will be affected. The 217 area code generally covers the central region of the state serving thirty-five counties, including large cities such as Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Danville, Decatur, Jacksonville, and Quincy. The new 447 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 217 area code.
To complete local calls, the new dialing procedure requires anyone with a 217 or new 447 area code to dial area code + telephone number or 1 + area code + telephone number. This means that all calls that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using ten digits.
Beginning February 27, 2021, you must use the new dialing procedure, as described above. On and after this date, if you do not use the new dialing procedure, your calls will not complete and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again, including the area code.
Beginning March 27, 2021, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 447 area code. Anyone that receives an 840 area code telephone number must use the new dialing procedure described above.
In addition to changing your dialing procedure, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed to dial seven digits—will need to be reprogrammed to use the new dialing procedure. Some examples are life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems or gates, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, etc. You may also want to check your 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.
If you have any questions regarding information provided in this notice, please call