Big Change Coming for Southern Minnesota’s Phone Numbers
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A new area code in southern Minnesota will become closer to becoming a reality by the end of the month.
Last Spring the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved a proposal by the telecommunication industry to impose what is known as an "all-services distributed overlay" of southern Minnesota’s 507 area code.
As a result of the proposal's approval, new customers in southern Minnesota will soon be assigned the new 924 area code. Overlay for new area code is set to take effect on Jan. 30.
Customers who already have phone numbers with a 507 area code will not see their phone numbers change. The new area code will also bring changes to dialing phone numbers.
Starting July 30, anyone placing a phone call must dial the area code even if the call is within the 507 geographical area. Phone calls placed with just seven digits will not be completed.
The area code will not be required to complete calls to 911, 988, 411 and other service numbers. By Aug. 30 new telephone lines and or services numbers may be assigned to the 924 area code.
Public Utility documents indicate change is needed because the 507 area code is projected to run out of phone numbers during the first three months of 2025. It's estimated the addition of the 924 area code will last approximately 37 years before the addition of a third area code will be necessary.
When it approved adding the new area code in southern Minnesota, the PUC Board also required telecommunication companies to implement clearly stated intercept messages that would instruct consumers on how to properly place a call using 10-digit dialing if they attempted to place a call by dialing only 7-digits, which is currently allowed within the 507 area code zone.
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