Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
North Central Indiana's new area code begins Jan. 15.
The Indiana Regulatory Commission has split the current 219 area code into three separate area codes.
The new 574 area code was assigned to customers in the north central part of the state and includes: Argos, Bremen, Burnettsville, Flora, Hamlet, Kewanna, Knox, Lapaz, Leesburg, Milford, Millersburg, Monticello, Monterey, Nappanee, New Carlisle, North Judson, North Liberty, North Webster, Pierceton, Plymouth, Syracuse, Twelve Mile, Walkerton, Warsaw and Winamac.
The northwest portion of Indiana will keep the 219 area code while the northeast portion - including Whitley, Noble, Allen and LaGrange counties - has been assigned the 260 area code.
The new area code will not have any effect on the cost of a call.
Communities with Extended Area Service to nearby communities crossing the new area code boundary will need to dial 10 digits (area code, exchange and number) when placing calls. As a result, Syracuse customers in the new 574/457, 518, 521, 528 and 529 exchanges and North Webster customers in the new 574/834 exchange will need to dial 10 digits when calling Cromwell's new 260/856 exchange. Cromwell customers also will need to dial 10 digits when calling Syracuse and North Webster.
Permissive dialing begins Jan. 15 and will allow callers to use either the 219 or new 574 area code when calling northeastern Indiana. However, beginning June 14, the new 574 area code must be used. At that time, if callers use the 219 area code, they will hear a recorded announcement reminding them to redial with the 574 area code.
