986 area code coming to Idaho

Staff from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission will be conducting workshops throughout Idaho to assist telephone customers transition to a second area code and 10-digit dialing. Voluntary 10-digit dialing (area code, plus prefix, plus four-digit number) begins this November and mandatory 10-digit dialing in August 2017. The purpose of the workshops is to explain why a second area code – 986 – has become necessary and inform customers of the deadlines to implement the second area code and begin 10-digit dialing/Idaho Public Utilities Commission news release. More here.

• August 11 (at 7 p.m.) – Driftwood Bay Student Union Building, North Idaho College, 100 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene.

Question: Would you be bummed if you were assigned the new area code?