To accommodate the need for additional telephone numbers in the twelve-county geographical area covered by the 919 area code, the North Carolina Utilities Commission is introducing the new 984 Area Code. The new dialing plan will be fully implemented on Saturday, March 31.
The change will affect all users in communities such as Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Garner, Goldsboro, Sanford, Smithfield, and Wake Forest. The new overlay area code will require a modification in the number of digits required to call some local numbers.
How will this affect me?
- Calling a number within the Hospital or on the UNC campus that is currently a 5-digit number call will not change! Users will continue to be able to use 5-digits to contact campus numbers.
- To reach a local non-campus phone number, users will be required to dial 7+919+7 digits. Although these calls include the area code, no long distance charges will be generated by calling a local number.
- Long distance calling from campus will not change. Users will still dial 7+1+10 digit number to call a domestic long distance number.
What else do I need to know?
- Speed dial buttons and devices that make automated calls to local numbers will require reprogramming to include the new dialing procedure using 7+10-digits. These devices include life safety systems, fax machines, alarm and security systems, elevator phones, speed dialers and call forwarding settings. The most commonly affected functions will be speed dial buttons on individual phones and fax machines. Speed dials to local off-campus numbers will need to exactly match the new dialing plan method.
- 216- and 347- pagers are considered local numbers, so to page one of these numbers from a phone, users will need to input 7+919+7-digit pager number. All systems that automatically call or dispatch a 216- or 347- pager will need to be updated.
- The only exception to the new 7+10-digit dial plan will be when calling 123xxxx pagers from on-campus. Users will continue to dial only the 7-digit 123xxxx pager number. If an off-campus caller wants to send a numeric page to a 123 pager, they will call 919-966-PAGE (7243). When prompted to input the pager number, callers will continue to input just the 7-digit 123xxxx pager number.
- WebXchange will be updated on or by March 31 to display the new 7+919+7-digit number format for all local off-campus numbers.
- This dialing plan modification is affecting all numbers in the 919 area code, not just UNC phones. Except for the detail of having to dial the number 7 prior to making an outgoing call, these changes will be in effect for all local cell, business and home phones. Take this into account for all of your personal outgoing calling needs such as for your personal cell phone speed dial buttons and home security alarm dial destinations.
For questions, please call the Telecommunications Office at 62354 from a campus number, or 919-966-2354 from an off-campus number.