HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – Starting Saturday, Hawaii callers are being urged to start dialing “808″ whenever they make local phone calls — including those made on the same island.
Come October, the change will become mandatory.
That’s when all phone service providers will be implementing mandatory 10-digit local calling.
In Hawaii, callers will need to include area code 808 before dialing the phone number they want to reach or the call may not be completed.
The new calling method officially goes into effect on Oct. 24.
It’s coming after the Federal Communications Commission adopted 988 as the new three-digit nationwide number to get in touch with the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. That number will be activated on July 16, 2022.
