Government Assistance
988
988 is the three-digit, nationwide phone number to connect directly to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
By calling or texting 988, you’ll connect with mental health professionals with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Veterans can press “1” after dialing 988 to connect directly to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline which serves our nation’s Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and those who support them. For texts, Veterans should continue to text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.
Too many people experience suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress without the support and care they need. There are urgent mental health realities driving the need for crisis service transformation across our country. In 2020 alone, the U.S. had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes—and for people aged 10-34 years, suicide is a leading cause of death.
There is hope. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of more than 200 crisis centers that helps thousands of people overcome crisis situations every day. These centers are supported by local and state sources as well as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress. By calling or texting 988, you’ll connect to mental health professionals with the Lifeline network.
10 Digit Dialing
A 10-digit dialed telephone call requires entering both the three-digit area code and the seven-digit telephone number to complete the call, even if the area code is the same area code as your own.
What will be the new dialing procedure?
To complete all local calls, you will need to dial the area code + telephone number. This applies to all calls within area code 219 that are currently dialed with just seven digits.
Who will be affected?
Anyone with a telephone number from area code 219 will need to make this change from 7-digit local dialing to 10-digit local dialing.
When will the change begin?
Beginning October 24, 2021, you must dial 10-digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7-digits may not be completed, and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. You should hang up and dial again using the area code and the 7-digit number.
In addition to changing the way you dial local calls, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed to complete calls to 7-digit local numbers will need to be reprogrammed to complete calls to 10-digit numbers.
Some examples are:
- Life safety systems or medical monitoring devices
- PBXs, fax machines, internet dial-up numbers
- Fire alarms, burglar alarms and security systems or gates
- Speed dialers, mobile or other wireless phone contact lists
- Call forwarding settings, voicemail services
and other similar functions
Be sure to check your website, personal and business stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, contact information, your personal or pet ID tags, and other such items to ensure the area code is included.
What will remain the same?
Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change. The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the dialing change. What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed. You will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls.
You can still dial just three digits to reach 711 (relay services) and 911 (emergency services).
Any 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, or 811 services available in your community can still be reached by dialing their three-digit codes.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Questions?
Call our customer service line at 219-996-2981.
You can also visit the FCC website.
Lifeline
Lifeline is a federal program dedicated to making phone and internet service more affordable for low-income households. This benefit provides eligible consumers with a monthly discount of up to $9.25. Consumers living on Tribal lands are eligible for an enhanced discount of up to $34.25 per month.
- USAC’s Lifeline Support Center helps you apply for the program, understand eligibility requirements, and keep your benefit current through an annual recertification process.
- Lifeline consumers must apply for Lifeline and then sign up with a participating phone or internet company, recertify annually, and keep their information up to date.
- Phone or Internet company enrolls you in the Lifeline program, manages your service, and answers questions about your service, phone or device, or bill.
Robocalls
U.S. consumers received nearly 4 billion robocalls per month in 2020, according to private analyses. Unfortunately, advancements in technology make it cheap and easy to make massive numbers of robocalls and to “spoof” caller ID information to hide a caller’s true identity.
Chairwoman Rosenworcel and other FCC staff get these calls too. As she said during one of the Commission’s monthly meetings: “I’m a consumer, too. I receive robocalls at home, in my office, on my landline, on my mobile. I’ve even received multiple robocalls sitting here on this dais. I want it to stop.”
The FCC knows that these calls are a major concern of millions of Americans, and scam calls in particular can result in very real financial losses and serious consumer frustration. The agency is therefore committed to using every tool at our disposal and working closely with private, public, and international partners to combat unlawful robocalls and spoofing.
