Alaska, get ready to use area codes locally

Beginning Oct. 24, 2021, Alaska residents will need to dial 907 before making a call within the 907.

This change results from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska’s new order making “988” the new number to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting in 2022. The area code requirement was added to eliminate conflicts with seven-digit phone numbers that also begin with “988.”

Fortunately, this order does not require you to change your number, nor does it affect any other three-digit services, such as 911 or 711.

To ensure your future calls go through, the RCA recommends dialing the full ten-digit number when dialing locally.

– Ceara Thompson, The Alaska 100