El Pasoans Will Soon Have to Dial All 10 Digits For Local Calls

It was only a matter of time, but El Paso is soon going to have to do something that a large portion of the United States already does. Dial the local area code before making a phone call. The reason isn't what you might think however. My first thought was it was like in an episode of the Simpsons from season 12. Springfield gets split into two factions because a new area code was necessary because the town ran out of numbers. More on that in a moment, because it's hilarious.

El Pasoans will need to start using all 10 digits beginning October 24th, but the transition will start on April 24th. The reason for the change has to do with accommodating for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which uses the three digit code 988. There are 82 area codes that will be affected by this change. How does this affect you? Just start putting the 915 before any local number.

Now, back to that Simpsons episode. This episode came out right around the time Portland was getting a new area code as well. Homer runs into this at the beginning of the episode.

The new area code eventually causes a Springfield town hall.

Of course, this can't end there. The new area code eventually splits Springfield into two factions. They eventually build a wall splitting Old Springfield and New Springfield. How does the episode end? Who comes in to save the day? Why, THE WHO, of course.