MARQUETTE, MI-- People in the Upper Peninsula soon will have to start dialing 906 for calls—even local ones.
The change is in preparation for a new three-digit dialing code – 988 – to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. In many area codes across the country 988 is already used as the first three digits of customer phone numbers. In order for 988 to dial directly to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, any area code that includes the 988 prefix must transition from dialing without the area code to using the area code with the telephone number. In Michigan, that means every customer in the 616, 810, 906, and 989 area codes must make the transition.
April 24 is the start date for including the area code in all calls. Dialers who forget and only dial seven digits will still be connected during a so-called “permissive dialing period.”
The 988 Lifeline code will be activated July 16 of 2022.
