TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tampa Bay residents will have a new three-digit number to memorize by 2022.
T-Mobile confirmed in a release to its users that a new area code, 656, will be added to the area currently served by 813 starting on Feb. 22, 2022
The 813 area code serves all of Hillsborough County, the city of Oldsmar in Pinellas County and the central and southeastern portions of Pasco County. The new 656 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 813 area code.
To complete local calls, T-Mobile says the new dialing procedure requires callers to dial both the area code and telephone number. That means all calls in the 813 area code that are currently dialed with just the seven digits will need to be dialed using the area code as well as the seven-digit phone number. The same dialing procedure will apply to telephone numbers assigned to the new 656 area code.
According to T-Mobile, users will have to use the new dialing procedures starting on Jan. 22, 2022. If you don’t, your calls will not complete. A recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again including the area code.
For more information, visit the Florida Public Service Commission’s website.
