Permissive 10-digit dialing to begin in New Jersey’s 609 and 856 Area Codes

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 18, 2018 -- Customers within the existing 609 and 856 area codes should begin preparing for the new 640 area code and 10-digit dialing. The new 640 area code will overlay and serve the same geographic region as the existing 609 area code.

Beginning on January 20, 2018, customers with the 609 area code should start dialing 10 digits (area code + seven digits) for local calls to 609 or 856 telephone numbers.  Customers with the 856 area code should also start dialing 10 digits (area code + seven digits) for local calls to 609 telephone numbers. Since this is just the permissive 10-digit dialing period, if customers forget and dial just seven digits, their calls still will be completed. Local calls between 856 numbers can continue to be dialed with only seven digits.

Starting August 18, 2018, all calls made within area code 609 and between area codes 609 and 856 must be placed using the area code (609 or 856) plus the seven-digit telephone number. Seven-digit calls within these areas will no longer be completed.  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 the 609 area code and between the 609 and 856 area codes starting August 18, 2018.
• You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all calls to other area codes (outside of 609 and 856), 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.  Also, any equipment that is programmed to dial a seven-digit number from an 856 area code to a 609 area code telephone number must be reprogramed to include the area code.

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.

Click here to learn more or visit the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ website.  If Verizon landline customers have questions, they should call 1-800 VERIZON (1-800-837-4966); Verizon Wireless customers should visit the Frequently Asked Questions webpage call 1-800-922-0204.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) (Nasdaq:VZ), headquartered in New York City, has a diverse workforce of 160,100 and generated nearly $126 billion in 2016 revenues. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network and the nation’s premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to businesses worldwide. Its Oath subsidiary reaches about one billion people around the world with a dynamic house of media and technology brands.

VERIZON'S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at www.verizon.com/about/news/. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

Media contact:
Ray McConville
908.202.5214
[email protected]
Twitter: @mcconvilleray