Who Will Get the New Idaho Area Code 986?

10 digit phone numbers will soon be mandatory in Idaho.

I didn't realize until I read the PUC's press release (see it here) that Idaho was one of only a handful of states that had one area code to cover everyone in the state.   The new area code 986 won't be a regional thing.   What they will do is attach it to only new phone numbers issued toward the end of the year in 2017.   Then after about 6 months or so of getting everyone used to using 10 digits for ALL phone calls to everyone in Idaho,  it will then be something you'll have to do or your call won't go through.

Since the existing contacts in our cell phones are already set up with 10 digits hopefully it won't be too much of an inconvenience once all this goes into effect.