New Mandatory Phone Dialing Rule Starts This Month In Southern Minnesota

Starting soon, residents and businesses across southern Minnesota will need to get used to a new dialing routine.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has decided that everyone in the 507 area code region—which includes all cities in the southern third of the state like Rochester, Faribault, Owatonna, Mankato, Winona and everywhere in between—needs to start using 10-digit dialing.

This change is happening because the 507 area code is expected to run out of numbers by early 2025 so a new 924 area code is being added to the area.

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Starting July 30th, 2024, you’ll have to dial the area code plus the phone number for all your calls, even if you’re calling someone just down the street within your same area code.

KMTelecom, a telephone and internet company based out of Kasson-Mantorville, says if you forget and just dial the seven-digit number, your call won’t go through. Instead, you’ll get a recording telling you to hang up and try again with the full 10 digits.

KMTelecom shared key information about this new mandatory area code dialing on their website and Facebook page today:

Who’s Affected?

Anyone living or working in the 507 area code is affected, so that’s pretty much everyone in southern Minnesota’s major cities and surrounding areas.

What Changes?

You’ll need to dial the area code before the phone number for all local calls. This means you might need to update your contact lists and reprogram any devices like alarm systems or fax machines to include the area code.

Also, starting August 30th, 2024, new phone numbers in the region could be assigned the 924 area code.

What Stays the Same?

Don’t worry, your phone number and area code aren’t changing. Call prices, coverage, and local call status will stay the same. Plus, you can still dial three-digit numbers for emergency services like 911 and 988.

While it might take a little time to get used to this new dialing habit, it’s all for a good reason. The addition of the 924 area code ensures there will be enough phone numbers for everyone in southern Minnesota.