New area code announced for 573 area code region in Mo.

SOUTHERN Mo. (KFVS) - The North American Numbering Plan Administrator announced a new area code to join the current 573 area code in Missouri.

According to a news release from the Missouri Public Service Commission, customers should identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number (3-digit area code + 7-digit phone number), and include the area code when giving the number to others.

They say a six-month “permissive dialing period” will begin on August 26 to give consumers time to adjust to the dialing changes. During this time, local calls can be made with either 7 or 10 digits, and all calls that are local will continue to be local even though you dial 10 digits.

Starting on February 24, 2024, all local calls made within the 573 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). On and after that date, calls placed using just 7 digits will not be completed.

On March 24, 2024, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 235 area code.

The 573 area code includes many communities such as Jefferson City, Columbia, Rolla, Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, Mexico, Hannibal, Camdenton, Waynesville, Farmington and Caruthersville.

According to PSC, the increasing demand for residential and business telephone numbers created the need to add a new area code to the existing 573 area code region.

They said customers in the existing 573 area code who request a new service or an additional telephone line may be assigned a number with the new area code when it’s available.

“The 573 area code is not going away and customers who have a telephone number with the 573 area code will not lose or have to change their telephone number,” said Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Ryan Silvey. “An overlay is a more efficient and less disruptive way to alleviate the exhaustion of available telephone numbers by simply assigning the new area code to new numbers.”

In February, NANPA told the commission the 573 area code will run out of telephone numbers during the first quarter of 2025.

On April 21, the commission issued an order directing NANPA to proceed with an overlay plan. This would introduce a new area code in the current area code, so that multiple area codes are assigned to the same geographic area.

It does not require customers to change their phone number.

The PSC provided some key facts about an area code overlay:

Telephone numbers will not change for any existing customers but new customers may be given telephone numbers containing the new 235 area code
The price of a call, coverage area or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay
What is a local call now will remain a local call
Customers in the overlay region must dial 10 digits for local calls
Three digit abbreviated dialing, to the extent currently available, such as 911, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 will continue to work and not be affected