Toll free numbers

[Jim Nazarian]

Its time to get a toll free number, within a 25 mile radius there are at least 7 different prefixes, our service area has been sliced & diced way too much, so I was looking at using http://www.kall8.com to pick a toll free number, since our typical customer is an older housewife that makes the call should I go for a 800 number or one of the 888, 877, 866 numbers...older women understand that 888, 877, 866 are also toll free, right?

I just started researching, so if anyone has other service providers or info I would appreciate it.

 

[Ken Snow]

Jim, if you can do it secure your number with all the toll free prefixes as we did with our 800 vanity # (HAGOPIAN). We have 800, 888, 877, & 866. This does 2 things, keeps it away from competition and if anyone does dial one diff than the advertised one (800) they still get us.

Ken
Ps The phone number issue that really became big with everyone having a pager, cell phone and land line and was exacerbated when start up telcoms were given blocks of 10,000 numbers at a pop in the 90's is starting to go the other way. The failed companies have returned the numbers, almost no one but doctors/nurses have pagers anymore and landline use is dropping every year. I heard that area codes may actually be contracted starting in 2011 and that many planned overlays or splits are not happening around the country.

 

[Jim Nazarian]

Thanks for the info Ken!

I just looked at a map, we will have 9 prefixes in our area :shock:
ftp://ftp.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/Telco/Reports ... th-747.pdf

 

[Ken Snow]

That sucks Jim- we have 7 and ours changed twice (from 313, to 810, then to 248) in 3 years but since then it has been overlays.

 

[Brian R]

I have my 866 number through powernet global...costs me under 10 bucks a month...because it doesn't get used that much...I think all toll free numbers are metered.

It is a company that Mary Kay used exclusively so it's reputable and they should be around for a while.

 

[Ken Snow]

toll free numbers are metered and the 10$ I assume is just the termination fee for it landing at your designated land line, or buildings DMark. Usage can be bought in bundles for as low as 1.8 cents a minute, but be careful how the increments are charged. Some carriers break it down to 6 second increments and other round up to next minute. In our case the rounding up method would add thousands of minutes of time a month.

Ken

 

[Jim Nazarian]

My business line is thru Verizon & they are out of 800#'s (they charge $15 a month +.06 a minute with no increments), so it looks like Kall8 is the way to go for an 800# at $5 a month.

 

[Brian R]

Do they charge for the minutes of usage as well?

 

[Jim Nazarian]

Do they charge for the minutes of usage as well?

Looks like 06.9 a minute.

 

[Ken Snow]

6.9 cents a minute is pretty high in this day and age, I would shop it.

 

[Brian R]

Powernet Global

 

[B&BGaryC]

I have 1 area code for the entire state. I seven hour drive from my service area is a 406 number same as my neighbor

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

3.6 per minute here. I like my good old 800 number. People can tell you have been around longer when
you use an 800 instead of an 888 or 877. However like Ken said you should see more availability of these
in the future.