Effective immediately, all calls within the 408 area code will require dialing 1 plus the area code in addition to the seven-digit telephone number.
Failure to comply will result in connection to a recorded message advising the caller to dial the eleven-digit number in its entirety.
The measure was taken in response to the addition of another area code, 669, to the same geographic region.
Beginning in November, numbers with the 669 area code will be issued to new phone numbers within the region.
According to California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), what is considered to be a local call will not change after the implementation of the new area code. The cost of a call will not be affected by the area code overlay.
De Anza student Don Vo, 20, felt the new practice is inconvenient, but said that he uses the phonebook function on cellphones and does not dial numbers.
However, Laurin Chichkanoff, 45, said she did not think the measure would create a hassle since most users call numbers using the phonebook function on cellphones.
Due to increasing consumer demands for phone numbers in the area, the 669 area code overlay was approved by CPUC on Oct. 20, 2011. An area code split was considered, but was dropped after the public showed overwhelming support for an area code overlay.