SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved the implementation of a new 861 area code to portions of Illinois.
The new area code will overlay on the existing 309 area code when customers request new service or an additional line.
The 309 area code serves all or part of Bureau, Dewitt, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, and Woodford counties. This includes cities and communities such as Bloomington, Canton, Galesburg, Macomb, East Moline, East Peoria, Galesburg, Moline, Normal, Pekin, Peoria, and Rock Island, as well as many other smaller communities.
The commerce commission says telephone customers should know the following key facts about the 861 area code overlay:
- Telephone numbers, including current area code, will not change.
- The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
- What is a local call now will remain a local call.
- Customers in the overlay region will continue to dial 10 digits for local calls within and between the overlay area codes, and 1+10 digits for long distance calls.
- Customers can still dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 if those are currently available in their community.
