Missouri updates timeline for implementing new 235 area code
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Mid-Missouri residents will start seeing a new area code soon.
In February 2022, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator informed the Missouri Public Service Commission of the need for a new area code in the current 573 region due to an increase in residential and commercial phone numbers.
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The 573 area code was implemented in January 1996 to split away from the 314 code. It runs from the Missouri Bootheel, around the St. Louis region (314 and 636 codes), and up to the northeast beyond Hannibal and Quincy.
The biggest cities in the current 573 area code are Columbia, Jefferson City, Rolla, and Cape Girardeau.
A new 235 area code will be given to customers in the 573 region who request new service or additional phone lines. This is known as an overlay.
To be clear, the 235 code is not replacing the 573 code. The chairman of the Missouri Public Service Commission said existing customers with a 573 area code will not lose or have to change their phone number.
Instead, customers in the 573 region will have to dial 10 digits when the 235 area code is activated.
Beginning Saturday, Aug. 26, customers with a 573 area code will have what’s known as a “permissive dialing period,” in which local calls can be made with either seven or 10 digits. This is being done to get people used to dialing with the area code.
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Then starting on Feb. 24, 2024, all local calls in the 573 region must be made using 10 digits (area code plus the seven-digit telephone number).
On March 24, 2024, all new telephone lines and services will be assigned the 235 area code.
The Missouri Public Service Commission said the price of a call, coverage area and other rates and services will not change with the 235 overlay.
Using three digits to reach 911 or 988 services will remain unaffected.
New Kansas City area code
The Kansas City area will also soon get a new area code.
The Missouri Public Service Commission announced back in January that it will soon begin to implement the new area code of 975 in the existing 816 region.
The 816 area code serves communities like Kansas City, St. Joseph, Blue Springs, Odessa, Harrisonville, Parkville and more.
Like the 573 area code, all existing 816 area code customers will still keep their current area code, and their phone numbers will not change.
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Also like the 573 region, the Missouri Public Service Commission said this change is happening because the 816 area code will soon exhaust available phone numbers.
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator projects that the Kansas City area will run out of 816 phone numbers by the second quarter of 2024.
However, the Missouri Public Service Commission has not set a timeline for when it will start assigning new 975 area codes, but they could roll out as early as this fall.
