Man Fined After Trying To Sell 800 Number

Posted on July 21, 2008 by smsgov

The owner of a valuable 800 toll free number who attempted to illegally sell the number to an undercover agent faces stiff fines according to regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission.

By law, phone numbers cannot be sold or brokered. In 1997, the FCC made the sale of 800 numbers illegal. Because of the short supply of available numbers, complaints were pouring in at that time that price gouging for the popular numbers was becoming a common practice. The FCC acted quickly, prohibiting sales.

According to the FCC, anyone who is caught hoarding or selling toll free numbers will face severe penalties. In the past these have included an $11,000 fine per incident.

The demand for 800 numbers is at an all-time high. Finite supplies of available 800, 888, 877 and 866 numbers are plummeting. Making the situation worse, hopes that the new 855 numbers would soon be released have been dashed as insiders report the launch of the numbers may be held off until 2011. Meanwhile more than two-thirds of available numbers have been taken and millions of news numbers are registered each year.

According to the FCC, toll free numbers are becoming increasingly popular for business and personal use. The supply of retired numbers is low because toll free numbers are so effective in helping businesses thrive. Toll free numbers increase market reach, enhance customer confidence, establish recognition of brand image, and sustain businesses during times of a weak economy. Because businesses that offer 1-800 numbers prosper, disconnected numbers returned into the system are scarce.

In an unstable economy, small businesses need reliable marketing tools to increase the flow of new and repeat business and compete with bigger, sustained companies. Toll free numbers instantly win customer confidence and give new businesses the jumpstart they need to grow into sustained companies.

Advisors say the best way to obtain a toll free number before supply runs out is to use a legal, reliable toll free service provider that has access to the database of available numbers.

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Businesses Find Refuge in 1 (877) Toll Free Number From Short Supply of 800 Numbers

Posted on July 17, 2008 by smsgov

With 1-800 numbers becoming more and more difficult to obtain, some business owners are finding relief by securing 877 numbers.

Supplies of 800 numbers are decreasing while demand is growing. According to the Federal Communications Commissions, toll free service is a valuable commodity for businesses and popularity is consistently on the rise. The availability of toll free numbers is plummeting yet there are no immediate plans by the FCC to overcome the shortage by launching the reserved 855 numbers

In the past, 800 and 888 pre-fixes have been the most popular choices of subscribers. Experts say this was due mostly to the lack of public awareness that 877 and 866 were also toll free. But in recent years, this situation has changed. Reports now indicate that the majority of the public recognizes all four pre-fixes as toll free. Business owners are quickly taking advantage of the 877 numbers.

But now with the overall supply of available toll free numbers dwindling, 877 numbers are going fast.

Toll free 800 numbers were introduced in 1967. Two decades later, when the majority of the 7 million possible numbers were taken, 888 debuted. It took just two years for them run out. With the popularity of toll free service soaring and supplies dropping, the Federal Communications Commission then launched 877 in 1998 and 866 in 2000. While insiders initially worried that consumers would not recognize 877 and 866 as toll free, these numbers have steadily grown in popularity.

Recently, insiders say 877 has become a popular choice for small and medium-size businesses. Small business owners’ need reliable marketing tools to increase the flow of new and repeat business and compete with bigger, sustained companies. Toll free numbers instantly win customer confidence, lend give small businesses legitimacy, and increase sales. Reports indicate that a toll free number listed in an ad can increase response by 600 percent and word of mouth referrals rise by 200 percent. With 98 percent of American adults regularly using toll free numbers, businesses securing an 800 number gain a strong competitive edge.

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Despite Mass De-Activations of 800 Numbers, Supplies Still Dwindling

Posted on July 14, 2008 by smsgov

A recent plea for the deactivation of unused 800 numbers resulted in a surge of numbers returned to the main database. But despite these mass replacements, the supply of available toll free numbers continues to dwindle as thousands of subscribers register for a 1- 800 number each day.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, toll free service is increasing in popularity because it enables callers to reach businesses, organizations, and non-profits without having to pay for the call. This marketing tool has been so successful that the available supply of 800, 888, 877, and 866 numbers are plummeting while demand is growing at unprecedented rates.

The popularity of the 1-800 number, introduced in the late 1960s, led the FCC to add the new pre-fixes 888 and 877 in the mid-1990s. When availability of those numbers became scarce in 2000, the 866 pre-fix was added to overcome the shortage. Now, eight years later, the stockpile is once again low despite the recent mass deactivation of unused 800 numbers.

When an 800 number is disconnected, it eventually becomes available on the 800 Service Management System, (SMS/800) database. These retired numbers are in great demand and the competition to secure released numbers is fierce.

Industry insiders are recommending that anyone wishing to obtain a toll free number secure one immediately. Thousands of toll free numbers are registered each day. With a limited number of possibilities, the finite supply is nearly expended. Toll free numbers are assigned by entities called Responsible Organizations, toll free service providers who have access to the SMS/800 database of available numbers.

Advisors say the most effective and affordable way to obtain a toll free number before supplies runs out is to contact a reliable toll free service provider.

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Investing In An 800 Number? Now Is The Time.

Posted on July 11, 2008 by smsgov

With the supply of available 800 numbers dwindling and no immediate plans by the FCC to launch additional numbers, experts advise that business owners and others interested in securing an 800 number should invest today.

More than two-thirds of the available supply of 800, 888, 877, and 866 numbers are taken and millions of new subscribers are registering every year. Business owners who wait much longer to obtain a number might find themselves out of luck. In a competitive market, a toll free number is a valuable commodity for every business.

Toll free numbers were introduced in 1967. By the 1980s, half of all long distance calls were through 800 numbers. A decade later, the FCC added two new pre-fixes, 888 and 877, to address the shortage of available numbers. With the supply continuing to drop while demand increased, 866 numbers were added in the year 2000. Eight years later, supplies are now at all all-time low.

A plea for unused numbers to be released offered a brief reprieve earlier this year. But within weeks, the supply dropped again as thousands of new subscribers invested in toll free service each and every day.

Toll free service has become a staple for businesses, organizations, and not-for-profits. According to reports, 98% of Americans use toll free numbers regularly. Businesses can see increases of as much as 600 percent if an advertisement includes a 1-800 number. Toll free numbers increase market reach, enhance customer confidence, establish recognition of brand image, and sustain businesses during times of a weak economy.

But advisors say it is not only business owners who need to invest now if they want the guarantee of an 800 number. The FCC reports that toll free service is also increasing for personal use as parents obtain an 800 number so a child or relative can reach them for free.

Industry insiders are recommending that anyone wishing to obtain a toll free number secure one immediately. With a limited number of toll free possibilities, the finite supply is nearly expended. It is important to work with reliable and affordable service provider. Companies like AT&T and Verizon can quickly secure a number for any subscriber, then offer low rates, a variety of services and reliable fiber optic connections.

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Owners of Unused 1-800 Numbers Urged to Relieve Demand

Posted on July 7, 2008 by smsgov

With the availability of new 1-800 numbers rapidly declining as demand for toll free service skyrockets, industry insiders are urging the owners of unused toll free numbers to release them back into the system.

Experts say if the database of numbers isn’t beefed up soon, the finite supply of toll free numbers could run out. It is estimated that 8,000 numbers are registered each day.

The value of toll free service has become a necessity for any business. The limited availability of new numbers and the limited turnover of used numbers have created an intense and competitive demand for 1-800, 888, 877 and 866 numbers. According to the FCC, popularity of toll free service is increasing for both business and personal use.

When an 800 number is disconnected, it goes into what is referred to as the aging process. At some point it becomes available on the 800 Service Management System (SMS/800) database. Then the race is on to obtain it.

The demand for retired numbers is so great that some companies are charging subscribers thousands of dollars to reserve one. Industry experts say that turnover of claimed numbers is minimal because toll free service is so effective and profitable that businesses, organizations, and non-profits who secure an 800 number tend to keep it.

Toll free numbers were introduced in 1967. By the 1980s, nearly half of all long distance calls would be toll free. Today, 98 percent of adults say they regularly use toll free numbers. Yet, the supply of 800 numbers, including vanity numbers, is at an all-time low with more than two-thirds of the available numbers taken. There are no immediate plans by the FCC to introduce a new pre-fix. In fact, insiders say the reserved 855 numbers may not be launched until 2011.

Advisors say the best way to obtain a toll free number before the supply runs out is to use a reliable toll free service provider that has access to the database of available numbers.

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California “Hands Free” Cell Phone Law July 1st 2008

Posted on July 3, 2008 by smsgov

California Senate Bill 1613 (SB1613) signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 says, Californians will have to put down their cell phone while driving and become hands-free by July 1st 2008.The new driving law, brought forward by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, requires motorists to use a hands-free device when using a cell phone while driving.

The new California driving law will impose a fine of $20 for a first-time offense and a $50 fine for each additional offense. The bill allows exceptions for calls to law enforcement agencies for emergency purposes, or emergency services personnel while operating an authorized emergency vehicle.

In addition to these exceptions, commercial truck drivers, tow truck drivers and operators of farming vehicles are also exempt.

The text of the new law is located here:  SB 1613 and SB 33

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California SB 33

Posted on July 3, 2008 by smsgov

SB 33
DIGEST : This bill prohibits persons who are under the
age of 18 years from using a wireless telephone or other
mobile service device while operating a motor vehicle.
Continue reading →

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California SB 1613

Posted on July 3, 2008 by smsgov

BILL NUMBER: SB 1613    CHAPTERED
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