Starting on Saturday, April 3, all phone calls in the 814 area code will use 10-digit dialing. The 814 area code covers the most area in the state and is the only one that allows for seven-digit calling.

It was announced last May that a new overlay code, the 582 area code, would be assigned to people in the central and northwestern region of Pennsylvania once there aren’t any more 814 phone numbers to give out. This change will go into effect on May 1, but existing 814 phone numbers won’t be affected by it.

Once this goes into effect, people who make seven-digit calls will get a recorded message telling them to hang up and redial using the full 10-digit number.

The 814 area code is one of Pennsylvania’s four original and the only one of those to not undergo any form of area code “relief,” either through a geographic split or through an overlay. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warrants that states add a relief plan when an area code is about to run out of available numbers.

The addition of the 582 area code has been considered since 2009 when a proposed plan suggested that the region have the 582 area code added to the northwestern part of Pennsylvania. The plan never passed after residents and telecommunications providers preferred an overlay.

The 814 area code includes most of Centre County and all or portions of Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin,  Potter, Somerset, Tioga, Venango, Warren and Westmoreland counties.