Press Release

New Dialing Procedure for Customers Within 803 Area Code

New Dialing Procedure for Customers Within 803 Area Code

COLUMBIA, SC (April 20, 2020) - The Public Service Commission of South Carolina today reminded residential and business customers served by the 803 area code that the new 839 area code will be added as an overlay to the region to ensure a continuing supply of telephone 803 numbers for the area. An overlay is the addition of another area code (839) to the same geographic region served by an existing area code (803).

The Commission ordered an area code overlay for the 803 Area Code on July 26, 2018. An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code.

Beginning April 25, 2020, mandatory dialing will occur where all local calls made within the South Carolina 803 Area Code will have to be placed using the 10-digit telephone number (area code + the 7-digit telephone number).

Beginning May 26, 2020 new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 839 area code.

The most important facts for consumers to know about the upcoming 803/839 area code overlay are:

• Your current telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• If you seek new phone service after May 26, 2020, you may be assigned a phone number with the 839 area code.
• You will need to dial area code + telephone number for all local calls.
• You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all long distance calls.
• What is a local call now 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. You can also dial three digits to reach 211 and 811, as well as 311 and 511, where available

Please remember to identify your telephone number as a 10-digit number (Area Code + 7-digit telephone number), and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates and customers, etc.

Customers should ensure all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment recognize the new 839 area code as a valid area code. Examples include life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, gates, ankle monitors, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions. Be sure to check your business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number.

Important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices, and alarm and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10- digit dialing by default but some older equipment may still use 7 digits. Please contact your medical alert or security provider if you are not sure whether your equipment needs to be reprogrammed to accommodate the upcoming change to 10-digit local dialing. Any needed reprogramming of alarm and home security equipment should be done by April 25, 2020.

Remember that all local calls must be programmed using 10-digits and you need to add ‘1’ for all long distance calls.

For additional information, please visit the PSC website at https://psc.sc.gov or contact your local telephone service provider.

PSC Media Contact: Robert Bockman Email: Robert.Bockman@psc.sc.gov Phone: 803-896-5142