After Sunday, 10 digit dialing becomes mandatory in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and a new area code will be introduced to the region.

Using the area code for local calls has been phased in since August, but the grace period ends this weekend. If you don’t use the area code, you’ll be told your call cannot proceed.

A new area code will also be introduced. Joining 902 will be 782.

Holly Geurs is with Halifax Dental Group and estimates she calls around 40 to 50 patients each day. She’s been using the area code for some time, but starting out, she got the operator message.

"We heard the recording quite a bit," she said. "So we got into the swing of things by constantly dialing the numbers and hearing her voice."

Geurs said she has the 902 area code down, but the new one will take some getting used to.

"That'll be rough and I'll definitely have to write down the new area code because we're not going to be used to that at all,” she said.

According to the CRTC, the 782 area code became necessary because 902 options were running out.

902 numbers could be used up by end of month

Donna Shewfelt is eastern and Atlantic regions manager with the CRTC and says mobile devices have played a large role.

"People have cell phones, they have a work cell phone, they have a home cell phone, they have a home telephone number, many have fax numbers," she said. "You know, every household has one or two children or more who have their own cell phones. The numbers are just exploding."

Shewfelt says the good news is if you have a 902 number now, you get to keep it. The 782 area code will be given to people getting new phone numbers once 902 is completely used up.

She anticipates that could start happening by the end of the month.

"If you're a new business or new to the province of Nova Scotia or P.E.I. and you contact your phone company to get a phone number, you could be assigned that new area code," she said.

Shewfelt said if people haven't already, they should be updating their pre-programmed phone numbers in their contact lists and security systems to avoid any confusion come Sunday.