Base phone numbers go to 7-digit format March 19

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mary Davis
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Making a phone call from a government facility may involve a little more finger work since Vance Air Force Base will implement seven-digit phone numbers beginning March 19.

"The conversion will start the evening of March 19 with completion shortly after midnight," said Joan Kelley, Installation Telephone Office branch manager. "When people report to work on March 20, they will be required to dial seven-digit numbers to reach base agencies."

Why the transition from four- to seven-digit phone numbers on base?

"As the Air Force marches on in its effort to consolidate communications capabilities under Air Force Network Operations, it's forced to do away with all the county option standards and systems, which is what we have here with four digit dialing," said Lt. Col. Dave Stewart, 71st Communications Squadron commander. "Sure it's convenient, but not at all standard with the rest of the bases. Air Force Instruction 33-111, Voice Management Systems, requires us to transition to a seven-digit dialing plan."

The 71st Communications Squadron and Computer Sciences Corporation planned the conversion and the effect it will have on the base for more than a year, Ms. Kelley said. The change will also affect all communication devices using base phone numbers, including telephones, hotlines, voice-mail boxes and fax machines.

Another thing Team Vance members should remember is to reprogram speed-dial features on their phones.

"Programmed speed-dial buttons using base numbers will not work until reprogrammed using the seven-digit number format," Ms. Kelley said. "Digital phones will be changed automatically, but analog phones should be reprogrammed by users. People can call CSC/ITO at 213-6336, for assistance in reprogramming analog phones."

Although the change may take some getting used to for Team Vance members, some numbers will remain the same.

"The change will not affect emergency numbers, the base operator, off-base or Defense Switched Network numbers," Ms. Kelley said. "For emergencies - dial 911, base operator - dial 0, off-base dial 99 prior to dialing off-base numbers and dial 94 prior to dialing DSN numbers."

This change, along with other recent ones, helps bring Vance AFB up to speed with the rest of the Air Force, Colonel Stewart said.

"This move, in conjunction with other standardization and modernization efforts such as the telephone-switch software upgrade we received in January, provides a standard Air Force telephone system platform, upon which we can efficiently build and manage future capabilities, such as consolidated telephone operators, automated morale call management and Voice Over IP," concluded the commander.