Area Codes Required

LW residents who have 562 area codes now have to add those three digits when making phone calls to people who share their area code.

Those with the area codes 562, 626, 949 and 951 must dial all 10 digits as of Oct. 24 as part of a federal mandate that will give the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline a shorter phone number.

That means when calling from a cell phone, even if you have a 562 number and place a call to a 562 number, you must include the area code when dialing. It is recommended that you update contact lists saved to your cell phone in compliance with the 10-digit format.

Local calls dialed with only seven digits will reach a recording that the call cannot be completed as dialed.

Callers must hang up and dial again using the correct dialing format.

The 911 emergency calling system will not be affected. Residents will continue to dial 911 directly in the event of an emergency requiring a police, fire or emergency medical response.

The Federal Communications Commission has designated 988 as the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, according to a recent FCC release. Beginning July 16, 2022, those in crisis will only have to dial that three-digit number rather than the current (800) 273-8255.

In the United States, 82 area codes that currently operate with seven-digit calling—including the 562 area code—use 988 as a central office exchange code, allowing for easier dialing. To ensure that all callers trying to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline successfully complete their calls, these 82 area codes had to switch to 10-digit calling, according to the FCC.

“To prepare for implementation of a quick way to dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline using only ‘988’ to connect callers to the Lifeline,” the FCC’s statement said, “these area codes must transition to 10-digit dialing for all calls, including local calls.”

In California, nine area codes have working seven-digit phone numbers in which the first three digits—called a central office code—are 988.