CLARKS SUMMIT -- Starting on Saturday, making a local call will mean pressing three more buttons. Our area will switch over to ten digit dialing and the 570 area code may not make the connection.
Northeastern Pennsylvania will soon be a two-area-code region. The new 272 area code will be worked in in the next few days. That means, starting Saturday if you dial the standard seven digits all you'll get is a busy signal. We talked to business owners who say those three extra digits may lead to some big changes.
Employees at the Verizon store in Clarks Summit are gearing up for a big weekend. Not only will Apple roll out its latest versions of the iPhone but, for weeks they've been fielding questions about new rules that will affect even the most basic phone users.
"You have to dial the area code for everybody, so even if you're going to call across the street, you still have to dial 570," said Ed Kearns.
Northeastern Pennsylvania is about to become a two-area-code region. New phones will be given a new code, 272. So, simply seven digits won't complete the call.
"You'll get a busy signal. It won't go through at all."
That's a concern for some business owners like Chrissy Jaworski, who says she takes more than 50 calls a day at Jaworski Signs in Scranton. She's expecting an influx of calls soon from customers wanting to add 570 to their signs. That is, if they dial her number correctly.
"I was shocked, I'm going to have to change my sign, too, I guess. Don't have time to do it just yet in the middle of political season of course," Jaworski said.
Until the new rules take effect on Saturday, Jaworski says she's calling up new customers and suggesting that they include all ten digits on their signs.
"I would recommend doing a patch instead of re-doing the whole sign. That's going to be expensive."
The Verizon employees we spoke with said even if you get a new cell phone and your number doesn't change, your area code won't change either. But they've been telling those customers to go into their contact list and make sure the area code is included.