NEW YORK, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Residential, business and wireless customers with numbers from the existing 631 telephone area code serving Suffolk County, New York, should be prepared for the introduction of mandatory 10-digit dialing on June 18, 2016, and the introduction of the new 934 area code on July 16, 2016.  The New York Public Service Commission has mandated that the new 934 area code will be "overlaid" or superimposed over the same geographical area as the 631 area code, which serves all the communities in Suffolk County.

Since July 18, 2015, customers have been able to place calls within the 631 area code by dialing just 7 digits or by dialing 10 digits (area code + 7 digits).  However, on June 18, 2016, all calls within the 631 and 934 area codes must be placed using the 10-digit telephone number.

If customers forget and dial just 7 digits, those calls will not be completed and the customers will hear an announcement instructing them to hang up and redial using the appropriate area code. On July 16, 2016the new 934 area code becomes effective, and customers in the 631 area code region requesting new service, an additional line, or in some cases moving their service, may be assigned a number in the new 934 area code. Customers receiving numbers from the 934 area code must dial a 10-digit number, including the area code, on every call placed as well. 

Important facts that consumers and businesses need to know are:

• Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• You will need to dial the area code + number for all calls within the 631 and 934 area codes.
• You will continue to dial 1+ area code + number for all calls outside of the 631 and 934 area codes.
• 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.
• 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.

When providing their telephone number to friends, family, business associates and others, customers should identify their telephone numbers as a ten digit number (area code + 7-digit telephone number), and include the area code.

Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment recognize the new 934 area code as a valid area code and that any such equipment is programmed to dial ten digits for calls within the 631 and 934 area codes. For example, customers should ensure items such as life safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions are updated to include the area code. Customers should also check business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in the telephone number. 

For more information, please visit Verizon, Verizon Wireless or the New York Public Service Commission's websites. If customers have any questions regarding information provided in this release, please call Verizon at 1-800-VERIZON or Verizon Wireless at 1-800-922-0204.  

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) employs a diverse workforce of 177,700 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections nationwide. Headquartered in New York, the company also provides communications and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.

Verizon's Online News Center: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts and other information are available at Verizon's online News Center at www.verizon.com/news/. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mandatory-10-digit-dialing-within-631-area-code-begins-june-18-2016-300282936.html

SOURCE Verizon