New 353 area code serving the 608 region begins today

Beginning today, a new 353 area code will serve southwest and south-central Wisconsin customers. The new 353 area code will cover the same geographic area currently served by the existing 608 area code.

TDS Telecommunications (TDS) has alerted its customers in Albany, Alma, Bagley, Baraboo, Beetown, Beloit, Black Earth, Blanchardville, Bloomington, Browntown, Cassville, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, DeForest, Dickeyville, Fennimore, Janesville, Juda, Lancaster, Lodi, Madison, McFarland, Merrimac, Middleton, Milton, Monroe, Monticello,  Mount Hope, Mount Vernon, Necedah, New Glarus, Oregon, Portage, Potosi, Sauk City, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee, Witwen, Woodford, and Woodman.

Customers in the 608 area code overlay region may be assigned the 353 area code when they request new service or an additional line. Customers receiving a 353 area code will be required to dial 10 digits — the area code and phone number — for all local calls, just as customers with telephone numbers from the 608 area code do today.

An overlay is the addition of another area code to the same geographic region as an existing area code region. The overlay does not require changing an existing area code or phone number.

Customers in the overlay region should continue to identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number, including the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, and customers.

Additional information is available online.