10-digit phone numbers needed starting Saturday

A new area code in western Washington means a little more work for local calls.

Once upon a time, Wahkiakum residents with a 795 prefix only needed to dial the last four digits in a phone number to make contact with friends, neighbors, and local businesses. Those days are long gone, and now, because of the demand for phone numbers in western Washington, the seven digit number is no longer enough.

A new area code, 564, has been added to the same area as the existing code, 360. It will soon be expanded to include the areas that used 206, 253, and 425.

This means that even local calls, beginning July 29, must include the area code.

To save time, reprogram the numbers on your telephone contact list, fax machine, internet dial-ups, medical alert systems, and more.

The change does not affect 911, which will remain a three digit phone number.