Toll Free Dialing - Not Just for Business Anymore
Toll Free Numbers are numbers that begin with one of the following three digit codes 800-888-877-866-855. Toll Free numbers allow callers to reach businesses and/or individuals without being charged for the call. The charge for using a toll-free number is paid by the called party (the toll-free subscriber)instead of the calling party. Toll Free numbers can be dialed directly to your business or personal telephone line.
Toll Free Numbers are very common today. Toll Free Service has proven successful for businesses, particularly in the areas of customer service and telemarketing. Toll free service provides potential customers and others with a "free" and convenient way to attract business.
Toll Free Numbers are also increasingly popular for personal use. For example, parents can give their toll-free numbers to a child who is away at college or military allowing that child/adult to call home anytime without having to make a collect call and without the child/adult having to pay for the call.
In the past if a subscriber wanted to change long distance carriers, the subscriber would have to change toll free numbers since toll free numbers were not "portable: from one carrier to another. To make the toll free market more competitive, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established a policy that made toll free numbers portable. This means that now a toll free subscriber can change his or her toll free service to another carrier but still keep the same toll free number.
How Can You Tell if a Number is Toll Free?
Today, there are toll free codes actually include 800-888-877-866-855. Although these are all toll free codes, they are not the interchangeable. 1-800-234-5678 is not the same as 1-888-234-5678. Calls to each toll free number are routed to a particular local telephone line and number.
Toll Free Directory Assistance
Toll Free directory assistance for some toll free numbers can be obtained by calling 1-800-555-1212. The service is free. Not all toll free service numbers are listed - only those subscribers that choose to list them. The FCC plans to address how to promote competition among multiple providers of directory assistance. In the meantime, 1-888-555-XXXX numbers are not being assigned to customers.
How are Toll Free Numbers Assigned?
Toll Fee numbers are assigned on a first come, first served basis. Toll Free service providers (sometimes referred to as "Responsible Organizations" or "RespOrg") have access to the tollfree database which contains information regarding the status of all toll free numbers. Toll free service providers are certified by the SMS/800 administrator which manages toll free service.
Contact a toll free service provider, like Kall8, if you want to obtain a toll free number. Toll free service providers can access the database and reserve a number for subscribers. There are several hundred toll free service providers in the United States. You may find a list of all toll free service providers on the SMS/800's website http://www.sms800.com or call the SMS/800 Help Desk at 1-888-SMS-3300. You can also see our list of TollFree Providers
Special Toll Free Numbers
A "vanity" number is a toll free telephone number that also spells a person's company's name or spells a word that is chosen by the subscriber such as 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-888-NEW-CARS. To find out whether a specific toll free number is available contact any toll free service provider. Kall8 offers standard and vanity searches and service.
Warehousing Toll Free Numbers
"Warehousing" by toll free service providers is prohibited by the FCC's rules. A toll free service provider may not legally reserve a toll free number without having a an actual toll free subscriber for whom the number is being reserved. Toll Free service providers who warehouse numbers are subject to penalties.
"Hoarding" by subscribers is similarly prohibited and illegal. A subscriber may not acquire more toll free numbers than the subscriber intends to use. Hoarding, also includes "number brokering" which is the illegal sale of a toll free number for a fee.
For a simple, stand alone toll free number see Power Net Global