Area code requirement to begin Oct. 24

OLYMPIA - All phone calls in Whitman County are going to need all 10-digits, rather than the traditional seven.

Landline phone companies are making the switch on Oct. 24.

Some landline companies are still allowing calls without the area code.

"This change to 10-digit dialing in Eastern Washington's 509 area code is a first step toward ensuring that everyone in the country will be able to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline using the three-digit code of 988 that launches in 2022," said a Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) spokesperson.

Using the new area code i...