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800, 888, 877 & 866 Toll Free Numbers

800 Toll Free Service:
Frequently Asked Questions - Part 1
go to Frequently Asked Questions - Part 2
go to the 800 toll free rates page

Toll free numbers are valuable for residential and business users. The phone rates vary widely and many carriers charge monthly recurring fees. Vanity numbers are available to help your company grow. Customers, clients, salespersons, truckers, and field staff can call from any telephone to your 800, 888, or 877 number.

Expect to pay between $0.05 and $0.10 per minute for 800 switched service. Some plans have monthly fees some do not - be sure to check!  Intrastate rates start at $0.049 per minute.

In the section below you will find out about 800 numbers and what they mean to you. 

•  800 888 877 facts.

•  Just what is an 800 number? and more!!

•  Time and cost savings tips for residential and business users.

800/ 888/ 877 FACTS

JUST WHAT IS AN 800 NUMBER? 888, 877 or 866 NUMBER? 

800, 888, 877 and 866 numbers are numbers that can be dialed by anyone and the recipient pays for the call. This is referred to as "toll free," because they are free to the user and the owner of the number must pay for the minutes used and any monthly recurring fees. Note that many 800 numbers are gone, so  888 (also toll free) numbers were added. It is estimated that as many as 99.5% of the 800 numbers are taken. The new 888 toll free prefix was opened on March 1, 1996 to be used in conjunction with the 800 toll free prefix. 888/800, and now 877 numbers are not necessarily interchangeable. Unless a business reserves both the 800 and 888 equivalent of their toll free number, calling an 888 number will functionally work the same, but will not necessarily connect you with the same party as the equivalent 800 number; i.e., 1-800-MYPHONE and 1-888-MYPHONE can reach two different companies (at least two different numbers).

go to the 800 toll free rates page

I AM A BUSINESS, HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM AN 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 NUMBER?

• It is easier and more cost effective than looking for change or using a calling card, when you have to call the office (or to call home).

• You can have an 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number ring in the East Coast office in the morning and the West Coast office in the afternoon.

• Businesses will frequently put an 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number on a fax line, so sales representatives can place orders from the field, saving money for your company.

• An 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 is a cost effective way for your workers in the field to call in without using a cell phone or calling card, saving money for your company.

• Many people are aware of how an 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number can be used to increase business orders; increasing revenue for your company.

• You can run different ads on the Internet, newspapers, etc., each with a different 800 number and be able to see which add has the greatest response.

• You can create an 800 number to ring to your ISP so you can dial a toll free number from the road. The cost per minute (5-10 cents per minute) for your own 800 line is generally less than other 800 dial-up services, there is no fumbling with a calling card, no high hotel room access charges, and because it is your 800 number, it rings directly to any number you want. If you change ISP's, simply change the "ring to" number.

I AM NOT A BUSINESS, CAN I HAVE AN 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 NUMBER?
Yes!!  Anyone can have an 800 number. It is just that many carriers do not promote this option and many residential users are not aware of how an 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number can benefit them. Because the 866 tollfree numbers are the newest, they are the easiest to get.

I AM A RESIDENTIAL USER, HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM AN 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 NUMBER?  

College Students: You can have an 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number so your college student  can call home. It is more cost effective than the dorm long distance carrier, and your child can call you from anywhere. I had one person put an 800 number at her daughter's dorm room in a different state, so she could call her daughter from the road.
Family or Personal 800 Number: You can call your spouse and tell them you are running late, or ask, "Honey, I stopped at the grocery store, do you need anything else?" If you talk for 30 or 60 seconds it will cost only  6-12 cents. Try finding a pay phone or cell phone that is this inexpensive. In fact, even at 11.9 CPM, it is less expensive than most normal "outbound calls."
Traveling:  When you are on vacation, or just away from your home, you can call your 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number to access your answering machine or your voice mail.
Home Based Business:  If you are just starting a home based business, it may help you appear larger and more established than you are.
Calling Card Alternative:  It is easier and more cost effective than looking for change or using a calling card, when you have to call home.
Marketing: You can run different ads on the Internet, each with a different 800 number and see which add draws the most.  
Internet Connection: You can create an 800 number to ring to your ISP - Internet Service Provider -  so you can dial a toll free number from the road.

If you are having a private relationship with someone, and you want that person to be able to call you, without the call showing up on their personal phone bill, use an 800 number.

go to the 800 toll free rates page

WHY ARE WE RUNNING OUT OF 800 NUMBERS?  
In the last decade, the demand for 800 numbers has increased dramatically due pagers, personal 800 numbers, the popularity of vanity numbers and the awareness of how an 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number can dramatically impact your business.

WHAT IS THE PROBABILITY THAT I WILL GET AN "800" NUMBER?  
The odds are against you.
If you are ordering a new toll free number, there is a low probability that you will receive an 800 or 888 number and a high probability that you will receive an 866 or 877 number. Toll-free numbers have become such indispensable business tools that the Industry Numbering Committee predicts all 7.6 million 800 numbers were likely assigned or in use by the spring of 1996, so 888 numbers were created. Another interesting occurrence is that those with 800 numbers are requesting the same 888 number; i.e., 1-800-Flowers getting 1-888-Flowers. So many of the 888 numbers are already reserved or taken.

WHY YOU MAY NOT WANT A TRUE "800" NUMBER?
Many people only want a toll free number that is 800, not 888. They frequently change their minds after one-two months. Why? 800 numbers have been around for a while, and if you receive one, chances are the Frank's Transmission had it first, then Bugs B Gone, then Vinnie's Pizza, and now you. If you receive an 800 number, it is highly probable that you will receive calls from people (which you will pay for) from people that still think they are calling Frank's Transmission.

FREE 800 AND 888 (and now 877 - 866) TOLL FREE NUMBERS. LOW RATES
(*Yes, the fine print says free of monthly recurring charges (not free of per minute charges), but that can save $24 to $240 per year, per 800 number!)

Some 800/888 Long Distance Services offer 800 numbers free of the monthly charge. Most carriers charge you a monthly recurring fee for you to have an 800 number. (You would be surprised at just how many people pay the bill, don't even know they pay an extra fee). Other carriers just charge too much per minute. (Too much is more than 12 cents per minute for US calls).  This means if you have an 800/888 number and in any given month, there is no usage, then there are no fees. If you use it just for 30 minutes, you only incur 30 minutes times your per minute rate in charges.

WHAT OTHER INFORMATION DO I NEED TO KNOW?

You should ask the following questions:

• Are there any term contracts required? Some carriers do not require a term.

• Are there any recurring monthly fees for customers? Many  carriers charge $5-20 to maintain your 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 numbers. Some are FREE of this charge - be sure to check!

• Vanity number searches are often charged by carriers, and range from $5-50 per search. 

• What are the minimum second increments? A  few carriers increment every six-seconds for both  800 - 888 - 877 - 866 inbound calls, others still charge in 60-second increments.

I HAVE AN 800 NUMBER, IS IT MINE? When I moved, I had to get new phone numbers, is it the same with my 800 number?
For most customers, the answer is YES! 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 numbers are yours and you can move your 800 - 888 - 877 - 866 number to any carrier you choose. This called is called "portability," as your number is portable and can be transferred.  Beware, if you are "renting" a paging or voice mail service, the toll free number is probably not yours.

go to Frequently Asked Questions - Part 2
go to the 800 toll free rates page