McGregor local phone subscribers calling from a 563-873-xxxx landline will need to dial the 608 area code before calling Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin!

In July 2020, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an order approving the designation of 988 as the 3-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. To facilitate implementation, area codes across the country where the 988 prefix is a working prefix and which now use 7-digit local dialing, must transition to 10-digit local dialing. This includes the (608) area code in Wisconsin.

• Beginning April 24, 2021, you should begin dialing 10 digits (608 + telephone number) for placing calls to Prairie du Chien. If you forget and dial just 7 digits, your call will still be completed. In addition to changing your dialing routine, you’ll also have to reprogram 7-digit local numbers to 10-digit numbers if you use speed dial or any other system that automatically makes calls for you.
• Beginning October 24, 2021, you must dial the (608) area code plus the 7-digit phone number when placing a call to Prairie du Chien. On and after this date, calls to Prairie du Chine dialed with only 7-digits may not be completed, and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. You must hang up and dial again using the 608 area code and the 7-digit number.

There is no long distance toll charge for calls the McGregor (563) 873-XXX exchange and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin as part of an Extended Area Service Agreement.

If you have any questions regarding information provided in this notice, please call Alpine Communications at (563) 245-4000 for more information. You can also visit the FCC website at https://www.fcc.gov/suicide-prevention-hotline.