Overview

As per the current guideline, a user trying to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line must dial the standard 10-digit number 1-800-273-8255.

On July 16, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules to establish 988 as the new nationwide easy-to-remember 3-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors.

Although 988 isn’t a nationwide calling code right now, dialing 988 using Webex Calling helps you connect to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline quickly.

Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing 988 will route calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line, making 3-digit access to a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline a reality. The FCC designated 988 as the 3-digit number to reach the Lifeline. The FCC requires all telecommunications carriers, interconnected VoIP providers, and one-way VoIP providers (together, covered providers) to make any network change necessary to ensure that users can dial 988 to reach the Lifeline by July 16, 2022. These rules ease access to suicide prevention and crisis intervention services, decreasing the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health crises, and ultimately saving lives.

Webex Calling behavior for 988

  • Cisco doesn’t classify 988 as an emergency call, and it’s classified as a toll-free (service number) call.

  • Users in the United States (U.S.) can’t be assigned an extension number such as 988. If you already have a user with 988 as an extension, Webex Calling continues to route the call to the extension instead of the suicide hotline.

  • Other dialing patterns such as +1988, 1988 aren’t supported.

  • Outbound Dial Digit +988 is supported.

  • The calls aren’t routed to RedSky, the national emergency provider for handling emergency calls.

  • No additional or special headers are added to the SIP INVITE for this call.

  • Call Detail Record (CDR) shows the called number as 988.