---

Compare 800 Number Service Providers

1-800 phone numbers dramatically increase the professional perception of your business - especially if your 800 number spells your business name or area of specialty (e.g. 800-GOT-MILK). Virtual PBX providers offer lots of features to make your small business sound more professional and streamline its communications by creating a virtual office that connects callers to employees wherever they are, on any type of phone – home, office, VoIP, or mobile - without any equipment to purchase or maintain. Have your 800 number calls forwarded to any number or to multiple numbers, simultaneously or one at a time.

Better manage voicemails and faxes with message delivery – listen to voicemails and view faxes right on your computer. All of these providers have no contracts and offer vanity phone numbers for a one time setup fee of approximately $30. Once you pay for at least one month's service, you then "own" the 800 number and are free to transfer it to another provider if you choose. Use the table below to help you narrow down the field of service providers. Just decide how many minutes and the exact features you need, and you're set to increase your professional image and more easily manage communications.

Monthly Service Plans. These plans include a set number of minutes for a fixed amount each month.

Rank	Service	Free Trial Length	Lowest Rate	Minutes Included	Extra Min	Summary	Customer Rating
		7 Days	$9.99	100	6.7¢	Project a professional image to customers, partners and prospects. RingCentral’s award-winning, feature-rich services integrate PSTN, VoIP, cellular, email, voicemail, fax, SMS and the Internet into a unified package. Tons of features, great service, and low price. Go...	(32 votes) 54321
		N/A	$9.99	100	5.9¢	Intuitive user control panel is designed to get a toll free account setup and working in less than a minute. Excellent customer service, low rates, and only $25 vanity number setup fee. Go...	(26 votes) 54321
		30 Days	$29.95	1000	4.9¢	Great per minute rate if you need 1000 minutes or more. Go...	(15 votes) 54321
		N/A	$9.99	100	5.9¢	Also offer an unlimited minutes plan for only $49.99 - great deal. Go...	(16 votes) 54321
		30 Days	$9.95	50	7.4¢	Includes advanced features other companies charge extra for. $25 activation charge. Go...	(8 votes) 54321

Pay-as-you-go Plans.These plans require you to pay a monthly rental price as well as a per minute usage charge. The total cost can be less using a pay-as-you-go plan if you don't need many minutes per month.

Rank	Service	Setup Fee	Lowest Monthly Rate	Lowest Rate per Min	Summary	Customer Rating
		$2- $25	$2	6.9¢	High quality, great customer service, and fast service. Vanity number setup fee is only $15. Go...	(12 votes) 54321
		$0	$0	8.9¢	Basic plan has very few features. Unlimited calls for $49.99/mo also offered. Go...	(8 votes) 54321
		$25	$9.95	6.9¢	Additional 4.4¢ charged for "live" calls - calls that involve call routing. Go...	(9 votes) 54321
		$35	$9.95	6.9¢	Per minute rate is as low as 4.5¢ if you buy a pre-paid minutes plan. Go...	(20 votes) 54321

800 numbers are numbers that begin with one of the following three-digit codes: 800, 888, 877, or 866. 800 numbers allow callers to reach businesses and/or individuals without being charged for the call. The charge for using an 800 number is paid by the called party (the toll-free subscriber) instead of the calling party. 800 numbers can be dialed directly to your business or personal telephone line. 800 numbers are very common and have proven successful for businesses, particularly in the areas of customer service and telemarketing. 800 number service provides potential customers and others with a “free” and convenient way to contact businesses. 800 numbers are also increasingly popular for personal use. For example, parents can obtain 800 numbers to give to a young adult who is away at college, allowing that young adult to call home anytime without having to make a collect call or pay for the call.

Toll-Free Codes - 800, 888, 877, 866, … Today, there are four toll-free codes: 800, 888, 877, and 866. Although 800, 888, 877, and 866 are all toll-free codes, they are not interchangeable. 1-800-234-5678 is not the same as 1-888-234-5678. Calls to each 800 number are routed to a particular local telephone number.

800 Directory Assistance. Toll-free directory assistance for some 800 numbers can be obtained by calling 1-800-555-1212. The service is free. Not all 800 numbers are listed – only those for subscribers that choose to list them. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to address how to promote competition among multiple providers of directory assistance, including directory assistance for 800 numbers. In the meantime, 1-888-555-XXXX numbers are not being assigned to subscribers.

How Are 800 Numbers Assigned? 800 numbers are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. 800 service providers have access to the SMS/800 database, which contains information regarding the status of all 800 numbers. 800 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 800 service providers on the SMS/800 Web site, www.sms800.com/ or you may call the SMS/800 Help Desk at 1-888-SMS-3300.

What Is A "Vanity" Number and How Can I Get One? A “vanity” number is an 800 telephone number that also spells a person’s or company’s name or spells a word or acronym that is chosen by the subscriber, such as 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-888-NEW-CARS. To find out whether a specific 800 number is available, contact any 800 service provider.

 

 

How Does an 800 Number Work?

Years ago, the expense of setting up a toll-free number prevented many small and mid-size businesses from getting their own 800 numbers.  Even today, most people think of a 800 number as unattainable for most small businesses – which is probably why it impresses customers so much.  On the contrary, though, an 800 number is relatively easy to acquire – in most cases, all you need is an existing phone, even a cell phone.

800 Forwarding Versus a Dedicated Line

For the typical small or mid-sized business, the 800 service provider simply forwards calls to the designated number.  Depending on your business setup, that could be your office phone, your home line, or even a cell phone.  Some providers will even forward the call to multiple lines at once, allowing you to answer the call wherever you are at the time.

Businesses with higher volumes of incoming calls might want to consider a designated line instead.  Basically, you will need to have a new phone line installed, which will be used solely for incoming toll-free calls.  Although you will need to pay for the installation and setup, you will get a better per-minute rate on incoming calls, which will more than make up for the initial expense.

The 800 Prefix

It used to be that an 800 number was the only kind of toll-free number.  However, as these numbers became more popular for businesses, other prefixes were added in order to increase availability.  The benefit is that if an 800 number you want – such as one that is similar to your local number, or one that spells something out – is already taken, you can get it using another toll-free prefix.

The prefixes for toll-free numbers are:

• 800
• 888
• 877
• 866

Finding an 800 Service Provider

There are many 800 service providers to choose from: the big, well-known providers such as AT&T and MCI, as well as many smaller providers.  Contrary to common belief, large providers cannot offer you a greater choice of numbers.  Although each provider typically has a pool of available numbers under their name, you can choose any 800 number that is not already in use.  Since the availability of numbers is the same for every provider, you are free to choose your provider according to the rates and features they can offer.

Finding the Best 800 Number Rates

Rates can vary widely between 800 service providers.  Although many people believe that large service providers will be able to offer the best rates, in fact the opposite is often true.  Your best bet is to shop around, comparing the rates and features offered by different providers.

There are two basic types of rates you will need to compare:

• Monthly rates – Most toll-free service providers will charge you a base fee every month, regardless of whether you receive any incoming calls.  Monthly fees may be as much as $20, or you may not need to pay any at all.

• Per-minute rates – On top of the monthly fees, you will need to consider how much you are charged per minute for incoming calls.  In general, these rates range from 7 cents to 30 cents per minute, although smaller businesses will pay more per minute than those that receive a higher volume of calls.  You should also compare billing increments between plans – the smaller the increment, the better – and avoid plans that require you to meet a minimum number of minutes every month.

Deciding What 800 Number Features You Want

There are a number of features available for 800 numbers.  You will need to decide which features you would like to have, and then compare the availability and price of these features between different providers.

Some of the features offered on 800 numbers include:

• Call blocking – Block callers who fall outside your coverage (and would therefore cost you more than other callers), such as calls originating from pay phones.

• Account codes – By requiring employees and/or customers to enter an access code, you can ensure that only authorized callers get through.

• ANI – Just like caller ID on your home line, ANI tells you who is calling.  This feature can also be set up to display the caller’s information on a computer.

• Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) – If you have more than one 800 number, DNIS lets you know which number was called.  This is particularly useful if you are running multiple marketing campaigns, and would like to know which is the most successful.

Choosing an 800 Number

As already noted, your choice of a toll-free service provider will not limit the variety of 800 numbers available to you.  You can either choose a number from the provider’s pool, or a “vanity number.”

Choosing from the Provider’s Pool

Service providers generally have a pool of toll-free numbers that have been set aside for them.  Because these numbers are already in the provider’s system, your 800 number can be set up much more quickly than if you choose a number from outside the provider’s pool.

Selecting a Vanity Number

A 800 number that you choose yourself, either because it is similar to your office number or because the corresponding letters spell out something memorable, is known as a vanity number.  As long as the number is not being used by another business, you will be able to claim it.  However, if it is not already in your provider’s pool of numbers, you will need to wait about a week for the number to be transferred and your account to be activated.  The good news is that once you have claimed an 800 number, it is yours: Even if you decide to change providers, you can take your number with you.

Using Your 800 Number

Once you have selected an 800 number and a provider, you need only to wait for your account to be set up.  Before you start giving your 800 number out to customers, you should test it with the help of family and friends in various locations.  After you have ensured that the 800 number works and the sound quality is acceptable, you are ready to benefit from the added credibility an 800 number gives to your business!

Comments on: 800 Number: Pro's and Con's

Provided courtesy of:
http://ask.metafilter.com/47999/800-Number-Pros-and-Cons/

Comments on Ask MetaFilter post 800 Number: Pro's and Con's

Question: 800 Number: Pro's and Con's

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 19:51:56 -0800 - I'm considering getting a 1-800 number. How best to go about this, and is there a chance I could get burned with a huge bill? I am working on a personal project wherein I hope to have people call me, and leave a one minute message. This is not for a home business; it's for a personal project.

I want a LOT of people to call. While I can give out my home phone number, I know that a 1-800 number would be much easier to remember, and easier to pass along.

I realize this is weird. But try to ignore the fact that this is for a personal project, and that it's *NOT* for a business.

That said, what's the best way to obtain a 1-800 number? I've tried calling my phone company, and it usually takes 20 minutes just to get to one person who knows anything about custom numbers. Just curious if there's another way.

And finally... my understanding is that I will be paying for all the calls that come in, local as well as long distance. If I happen to get my wish, and a ton of people do end up calling, is there a chance I could wind up with a $10,000 phone bill?

By: sanko

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:00:57 -0800 - Toll-Free Service Buyer's Guide

By: dorian

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:10:57 -0800 - one (fairly cheap) option:
-- broadband connection
-- asterisk box
-- 800 number from any of various providers (sorry I really can't recommend a specific one; altho I do personally use voicepulse connect for satisfactory outgoing service) e.g. iax.cc/sixtel is something like 2 bucks a month + 2c/minute.

++using asterisk will let you configure clever things like filtering or denying calls based on time of day / frequency / incoming number / etc., email you the voicemails as mp3s, and other goodness.

By: katieinshoes

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:31:43 -0800 - You might look into Skype In. You get a regular (not 1-800) phone number with voicemail. Fees are per month rather than per call. And crazy cheap.

By: platinum

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:30:08 -0800 - I use Callture for my toll-free number service. The pricing is pretty reasonable as long as your number of minutes isn't sky high - $2 a month, plus 4.5 cents a minute.

By: madajb

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:32:53 -0800 - Not a shill, but my phone company gives me a toll-free number free with service.
You just pay your regular LD rate for incoming calls on the 800 number.
As a bonus, the regular LD rates are pretty cheap.