Change Coming Soon for Local Calls in 540 Area Code

According to information from Highland Telephone Cooperative, beginning soon all local calls will need to be dialed with all ten digits of the phone number.

Beginning on May 14, 2022 all local calls made in the 540 area code will not be connected if only seven digits are dialed.  You must use all ten digits, the three digit area code and the seven digit telephone number.   With this change, updates will need to be made to cell phone contacts and speed dial options.  In addition to changing your dialing procedure, all services including automatic dialing equipment or other types of equipment that are programmed to dial seven digits will need to be reprogrammed to use the new ten digit dialing procedure.  Some examples include life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, fax machines, alarm and security systems, voicemail service and any other similar services that automatically dial a local seven digit number.

The inventory of available phone numbers with 540 as the area code is expected to run out, so the State Corporation Commission is phasing in a new area code, 826, for this region of Virginia.  The new area code, 826, is being added to the same region that is served by the existing 540 area code.  No current 540 phone numbers will change.

As of June 14, 2022 new telephone lines and services may be assigned phone numbers with the new 826 area code.