The CRTC is directing telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to transition away from 7-digit local dialling to ten-digit local dialling by May 31st, 2023.
Why add more numbers? The additional local numbers help support a new version of N11 local service: 9-8-8 mental health and suicide prevention. The "9-8-8" three-digit abbreviated dialling code will speed-dial local mental health crisis and suicide prevention services.
Similar to the 911 emergency service, Canada is introducing 988 for mental health crises!
Not every emergency requires the same assistance. Learn from the Canadian Radio-Television Communications Commission's statement.
When a person is in a mental health crisis situation, remembering or finding the correct seven or ten-digit number can be especially daunting and can prevent a person from receiving the assistance they may urgently need. The availability of an easily recognized and remembered three-digit abbreviated dialling code (three-digit code) will significantly improve access to crisis management services.
How 988 Service Changes your Call Flow
Given the nature of the services that would be reached through 9-8-8, it is critical that the selected call routing arrangement minimizes the risk of routing errors to the fullest extent possible.
What do you need to do to support this change?
Before March 1st, 2023, you will need to check your contact lists and update any contacts that only have 7-digit numbers. net2phone Canada will be removing 7-digit dialling as an option after this date.
How to Update Sonar Contacts
Notes for 10 Digit Updating
- Look through your list of contacts for any external numbers that only have 7 digits.
- 3-digit external extensions do not need to be updated.
- Update all contact numbers to include 10 digits (in most cases this will mean adding the area code).
- Moving forward any ad-hoc dialling will need to be in a 10-digit format.
On top of updating existing 7-digit numbers, all extensions with “988” in them (for example 9880, or 9988) will need to be recreated. Please reach out to our Customer Success team (success@net2phone.ca) to do so.
HOW TO ADD CONTACTS IN Sonar
People within your organization will automatically be listed as contacts within your Sonar portal. You can add external contacts through the following steps.
How to Add a Contact in the Sonar Portal
Office managers and call center supervisors must be in My Account to access their Contacts tab.
- Log in to Sonar using your net2phone Canada credentials.
- Click the Contacts tab.
- Click the Add Contact button.
- Fill in the contact fields.
You must include a first and last name, and at least one phone number. - Click Save.
Need Help?
If you’re unsure about any of the changes above, please reach out to our customer success team (success@net2phone.ca).
