It is best to get in the habit of always dialing 'on-hook' by leaving the handset in the cradle while entering the number you want to reach. Once the numbers are entered, pick up the handset/headset or press the speakerphone button. The call will be dialed immediately. This process might be easier to remember by using a comparison with it and the way you dial a cell phone. Normally, to place a call on a cell phone you must first enter the numbers and then press the send button. On some of our phone models, if the handset is picked up first it might be necessary to hit send or dial similar to a cell phone for the call to progress. There is usually a period of time that waiting long enough (3-5 seconds) between dialing the numbers and pressing the send button where the phone will eventually place the call but most people don't want to wait for that to happen. The reason for the timeout period is caused by of the large quantity of number variations that are possible today. Attempting to try to guess when a person might be done entering digits is not always feasible, and that why there were odd rules in the past like have to "dial 9 to get an outside line."
Since the laws allowing number porting were introduced area codes are slowly become less relevant. It is becoming more common for people to keep their cell phone numbers after moving to a new state, and the increased usage of VOIP making it possible for any number to ring any phone, no matter its location, means it impossible to use the area code as an accurate indicator for the location of a phone. With this in mind, it is expected to be a requirement eventually, to always need to dial the full 10 digit number. It is recommended that people start using all 10 digits now when dialing since it prevents any possible ambiguity and the likelihood of the call failing or even reaching the wrong phone. We do our best to allow you to dial in the manner you find the easiest but if for some reason a call is not going through or not being answered in the way you expect, it is worth trying again including the area code.