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Business Phone Numbers

Learn what to keep in mind with business phone number types and phone etiquette to global expansion best practices.
The difference between toll-free prefixes.
21st September 2016 blog, Business Phone Numbers

The Difference Between 800, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 Numbers

How to call a US toll free number from Mexico [2025]
25th August 2016 blog, Business Phone Numbers

How to Call a US 800 Number from Mexico

9-questions toll free service provider
10th August 2016 blog, Business Phone Numbers

9 Questions to Ask your Toll Free Number Service Provider

The Difference Between 800, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 Numbers

21st September 2016 blog, Business Phone Numbers

When looking for a US toll-free number, you will often come across a variety of three-digit toll-free codes such as 888, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 800 numbers.

But is there a difference between these numbers? And why are businesses still heavily demanding toll-free numbers?

Here we will detail the differences between these toll-free codes and explain how owning toll-free numbers can help a business grow.

Toll-Free Numbers: Definition and Benefits

A toll-free number is a number that is free for callers. In other words, callers can reach a toll-free number without being charged for the call. Instead, the toll-free subscriber or the owner of the toll-free number pays for the call. This presents a major benefit because customers are more likely to call a business if the phone call is free.

Owning a toll-free number also makes your business appear more professional. Imagine a business that advertises a professional and corporate 800 number or an 1800 number as opposed to a standard mobile or cell phone number. The company with the toll-free number is probably more likely to attract customer attention. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your brand.

Why Is There More Than One Code?

Businesses have been using 800 numbers for almost 50 years.

These 1800 toll-free numbers first originated in 1967 and were used primarily by hotels and rental car agencies. These agencies both take reservations from across the country. They also conducted a lot of business over the phone, before the internet. It was important for customers to reach these businesses for free.

However, the market for 800 numbers became saturated as more and more businesses started using toll-free numbers. This led to an exhaustion of 800 numbers and a need for more toll-free prefixes. To satisfy the demand:

Difference Between the 3-digit Prefixes

A toll-free number will begin with one of the following toll-free prefixes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, or 844. The six formats are essentially the same.

The main difference between these 3-digit prefixes is the price for the prefix. True 800 numbers tend to be a few bucks more than the other toll-free prefixes.

That aside, all these numbers perform the same function and cost the same for callers (your customers).

Which Prefix Should I Choose?

The prefix that you choose for your toll-free number depends somewhat on your advertising strategy.

800 numbers are more popular on common advertising media like television, billboards, and radio. Business analysts consider traditional 800 numbers to attract larger call volumes. A simple explanation: traditional 800 numbers are easily recognized as toll-free numbers. People are still familiarizing themselves with the other toll-free codes.

However, if the 800 number that you want is taken, then you can buy an 888, 877, 866, 855, or 844 number and get the same benefits.

How are Toll-Free Numbers Assigned?

The FCC regulates the way toll-free numbers can be used or obtained. According to the FCC, toll-free numbers are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis by entities known as “Responsible Organizations.”

The FCC’s rules prohibit toll-free service providers from warehousing or hoarding toll-free numbers. This means that a provider cannot legally reserve a number without having a subscriber in place. The FCC regulates this activity to ensure that a fair supply of toll-free numbers is available.

Porting 800 Numbers

The greatest advantage for consumers is portability. Porting means that a toll-free user can “port” or move his number to a new provider when he changes providers. Portability becomes especially useful when you have owned an 800 number for a long time. It eliminates the need to advertise a new number to clients when switching providers.

Related: 5 Phone Number Porting Myths Debunked

Get 800 Numbers with Us

If you want to purchase a toll-free number or port your existing number to us, then simply sign up on our homepage. You can also contact our experts for assistance if needed.

How to Call a US 800 Number from Mexico

25th August 2016 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Calling a US Toll Free Number from Mexico

Mexico is the 3rd largest trading partner of the United States, behind Canada and China. Because of its close proximity to the United States and advancements in IT access, Mexico is an open and welcoming market for US products and services. People in the United States also purchase goods from Mexico. In fact, the United States has a trade deficit of approximately $50 billion!

This means that the United States buys more goods from Mexico than it sends. There are opportunities for trade between US and Mexico businesses, and you can get a US toll-free number to take advantage of these opportunities.

In 1994 Canada, Mexico, and the United States signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to create a trade bloc in North America. The goal of this agreement was to facilitate trade and investment between the three countries. Trade between Mexico and the US benefitted in particular because US 800 numbers connect businesses in Mexico with US customers.

Since 2010, American trade with Mexico has grown by nearly 30 percent. Both importers and exporters will benefit when they buy US 800 numbers.

How to Dial a US 800 Number From Mexico

Every business that operates in Mexico should buy US 800 numbers so that their employees can easily call US headquarters. Communication is vital in today’s business environment, and professional contacts should be able to reach your business. Dialing a US 800 number from Mexico is easy:

  1. Dial 001
  2. Dial 880 for 800, followed by the phone number.

This process is simple and inexpensive. By encouraging communications, the operations of your business are streamlined. Buy US 800 numbers and your operations will run more smoothly.

US 800 Numbers Help Attract Customers in the United States

US 800 numbers can make it easier for a company in Mexico to do business with US customers. When a business advertises a US 800 number on its website, they increase the likelihood of incoming calls from US customers by 30%. This is because US 800 numbers are more convenient to dial than a local Mexico phone number.

Your business is more inviting to US callers when you provide a US toll-free number. Call forwarding services will automatically route incoming calls from the US to a destination phone number in Mexico, or anywhere else in the world.

A business that advertises US 800 numbers also appears more professional. Most successful businesses utilize toll-free numbers because a 1-800 phone number is more appealing for foreigners to call than +52 followed by a string of digits. US toll-free numbers are an inexpensive marketing tool for a Mexican business looking to sell its good in the United States.

Operating in Mexico

Cheap labor made China the #1 destination for US companies looking to outsource their manufacturing in the 1990s. The cheaper Yuan, China’s official currency, made Chinese labor more affordable and it made raw materials easier to buy. However, wages in China have been increasing in the past few years. Businesses need alternative countries to outsource their manufacturing.

Relatively low costs paired with high quality and fast response times have made Mexico a prime manufacturing location. According to Forbes, manufacturing costs in Mexico are 20 percent lower than in China. A large portion of U.S. manufacturing already takes place in northern Mexico.

Large Companies Are Moving to Mexico

Many successful businesses have already moved their factories. While experts were unable to determine the official tally of businesses closing plants in the United States, a significant number of firms have moved their operations to Mexico.

For example, United Technologies recently opened a plant in Monterrey, Mexico, with a US toll-free number. Numerous other large global companies have successful manufacturing operations in Mexico, including GM, IBM, 3M, and many others.

9 Questions to Ask your Toll Free Number Service Provider

10th August 2016 blog, Business Phone Numbers

When it comes to running a business, every entrepreneur understands the importance of having a toll free number.  It assures professionalism, credibility, consistency, and—most importantly–it assures customer satisfaction. Since having a toll free number for your business is vital, you should make sure that you get the most out of it. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 questions, which we believe you should ask your toll free number service provider so that you get a better understanding of what they offer and whether it matches your needs.

How to Find a Reliable Toll Free Number Service Provider

When researching and finding a new toll free service provider, there are quite a few factors to consider. Here are 9 questions to ask your provider before you make a hiring decision about your toll free numbers:

1: Are you a RespOrg?

First of all, let’s understand—what is a RespOrg? RespOrg or Responsible Organization is a provider that is certified by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to supply toll free number services.

It assures that the provider or telecom company is not only well-trained but also certified to offer the best toll free number service. Having an authorized toll free service provider can vastly increase the chance of getting high-quality, reliable service. So it’s always recommended to get toll free numbers from an authorized RespOrg toll free service provider.

2: Tier-1, Tier-2, Tier-3—Who are Your ULCs?

Underlying Carriers (ULCs) are telecom companies that provide toll free as well as direct inward dialing or DID numbers to VoIP wholesalers. These wholesalers’ providers offer your business toll free service. ULCs are usually categorized with respect to their size: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.

1. Tier-1 carriers — also called Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) — represent ULCs that are large telecom providers. A provider in this category is usually called the monopoly or oligopoly in the telecom industry.

2. Tier-2 carriers — also called Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) — are the most common providers. These providers peer with other Tier 2 networks and may purchase access or get a portion of their network from Tier-1 carriers. Most often, several CLECs are bought or absorbed by ILEC in the long run.

3. Tier-3 carriers get almost all of their network from a Tier-1 or Tier-2 carrier. These carriers are small, regional carriers and are wholesale aggregators with no direct access of their own.

Tier-1 carriers are considered to be reliable, stable, better quality, wider service area when compared with Tier-2 carriers. Tier-1 operators often acquire Tier-2 and Tier-3 carriers to broaden their coverage and customer base. The type of ULC or Tier your provider falls under can greatly impact the type and quality of service you will receive. Selecting a provider then depends on the price, quality, or service area.

3: Do You Provide Failover Protection?

Failover Protection refers to the process of the primary network automatically switching to a redundant network to ensure no calls are missed, during an event of service failure or disruption. During such a crisis or emergency, your business would need to direct incoming calls to numerous alternate numbers, devices, or networks. And if your provider offers Failover Protection, then when a switch goes inactive during a call, your calls automatically carry through another switch. With this set-up from your provider, your business will not miss or drop any calls.

4: Post Dial Delay (PDD), How Long Will it Be?

Post Dial Delay (PDD) is a delay after dialing a phone number. In other words, PDD occurs when you make a call and there is a moment of silence before the ring begins. Post dial delay happens when your call passes through several channels before it reaches the ULC. The delay extends when passed around more. If you can know your provider’s ULCs, you can have a better understanding of how much post dial delay you might experience.

5: Do You Provide Tracking Service (Additional Features)?

Not every toll free number provider offers a tracking service or additional features. Depending on the type of business, simply getting a toll free number is not enough. It’s always beneficial to find a service provider who offers additional features such as call recording, monitoring, and tracking.  This will help you to optimize every incoming call by analyzing it. You can browse through Global Call Forwarding’s features to get an idea of what toll free service providers offer.

6: Should I Expect Any Additional Charges?

Every provider is different and may have varying additional charges. For example, some providers charge extra for calls made outside the monthly minute limit; this is called an additional per-minute rate. Another circumstance is when additional charges are imposed when the total number of rejected incoming calls goes beyond the highest level of toll free traffic.

Receiving unanticipated additional charges is stressful and so you want to choose a provider with a predictable monthly bill and upfront additional charges. We recommend confirming with your provider what kind of additional charges you should expect.

7: What Locations Does Your Toll Free Service Cover?

Before selecting a toll free service provider, you need to know what locations and regions their service covers. For this, you need to plan out how you will handle your communication system and where your customers or end-users are located. If your provider does not cover your target markets, you may want to look for another provider.

8: What Numbers Do You Provide?

1-800 number is the traditional and most common toll free number format. However, now there are more toll free prefixes such as 833, 844, 866, 877, and 888. These numbers were developed due to a shortage of 1-800 numbers. And since there are only a few 1-800 numbers left, these variations are considered valuable in the industry.

You may even consider getting a vanity number with letters or patterns inserted within the number to make it memorable. For example, if you run a taxicab company, you can choose 1-800-Taxicab. Similarly, if you’re an online florist, you can choose 1-800-Florist. Note that most of the obvious or common words and names may already be in use, so you need to spice up your creativity to find a captivating number that is fresh and easy to remember.

9: Is Number Portability Possible?

You have a better chance to port your number if your carrier is a RespOrg. However, it is always a good idea to confirm number portability with your provider. So just before hiring the provider for toll free service, make sure that they facilitate number portability.

Global Call Forwarding’s Toll Free Number Service

With these questions besides you, you can surely ask your toll free number service provider these questions and get the maximum benefits out of the service. It will help you to find the ideal provider for you with respect to the price, quality, or service area. To learn more, speak with our experts or chat with us online!