PSC: 10-digit dialing in the 315-area code begins Saturday ahead of 680 area-code overlay in March

As of Saturday, telephone users in the 315 area code will have some more dialing to do when making a call.

Residential, business, and wireless consumers within the existing 315 area code in Central New York must dial 10 digits when making a telephone call.

The additional dialing is required as a result of the introduction of the new 680 area code, which will take effect in March, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) said in a news release.

Current telephone numbers, including current area code, will not change, the PSC noted.

The creation of the new 680 area code allows telephone companies to accommodate the “increasing need” for telephone numbers in Central New York.

It also accommodates future telephone-number demand. To “ensure a continuing supply” of telephone numbers in the west-central portion of New York, the PSC in mid-2015 approved an area code overlay for the area served by 315. The new area code will be superimposed and cover the same geographical area as the 315-area code.

The 315-area code is located within all or part of 18 counties in Central New York, including Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates.

The area-code overlay requires consumers to dial 10 digits (area code along with the seven digit local telephone number) in the 315/680 area or 1+10 digits for calls to other area code regions.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com