Why Is It So Hard To Get An 800 Phone Number?

Posted on August 14, 2008 by smsgov

With the fixed amount of available 800 numbers shrinking fast, subscribers who waited to secure toll free service are now learning why it is so difficult to obtain a number.

Industry insiders say the soaring popularity of toll free service combined with the failure of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to release additional numbers have created a tight supply of 800 numbers in heavy demand.

Once used primarily by big businesses, 800, 888, 877, and 866 toll free numbers are now popular with small businesses, charities, churches, and for personal use. Toll free service has become a staple of all successful businesses. Demand has grown quickly but the supply of numbers has remained stagnant.

Adding to the problem, insiders say 800 numbers retired back to the main database for someone else to use are scarce. Toll free numbers have such an extreme positive impact on any company, that it is rare for business owners to cancel their numbers. 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 day.

Toll free service has a long history. 800 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. Meanwhile, the supply of 800 numbers are at an all-time low. More than two-thirds of the available numbers are taken and there are no immediate plans by the FCC to introduce a new pre-fix.

Telecommunications experts recommend that anyone wishing to obtain a toll free number secure one immediately. There are an average of 8,000 new toll free numbers registered each day. With a limited number of numerical possibilities, the supply is nearly expended. Advisors say the most effective and affordable way to obtain a toll free number before supplies run out is to contact a reliable toll free service provider. A few examples are Verizon or Qwest. These providers can quickly assist subscribers in finding a quality toll free number.

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82 Responses

  1. Bobby Jenkins, on August 14, 2008 at 12:56 pm said:

    good point

    Reply
  2. Carl Parker, on August 14, 2008 at 2:50 pm said:

    good point

    Reply
  3. Dennis Carter, on August 14, 2008 at 5:24 pm said:

    I want an 8-0-0 number but can\’t find one. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  4. Earl Griffin, on August 14, 2008 at 5:41 pm said:

    Thousands register each day? OMG – I\’ve better get started!

    Reply
  5. Fred James, on August 14, 2008 at 5:59 pm said:

    the fcc needs to get on the ball if you ask me…

    Reply
  6. Jack Morris, on August 14, 2008 at 6:14 pm said:

    good point

    Reply
  7. Patrick Perez, on August 14, 2008 at 7:11 pm said:

    These articles are so informative! Love \’em!

    Reply
  8. Terry Morgan, on August 14, 2008 at 7:17 pm said:

    I have a toll-free-number for adoption (personal use) it\’s a requirement that I have one but I\’m going to keep it for a charity I\’m starting đŸ˜‰

    Reply
  9. Victor Perry, on August 14, 2008 at 7:30 pm said:

    I have a toll free but I want a new one. Please FCC, release the new numbers!!

    Reply
  10. Frank Wright, on August 14, 2008 at 7:32 pm said:

    I can\’t find anything! Can someone give a newbie some advice on this?

    Reply
  11. Brandon Peterson, on August 14, 2008 at 7:40 pm said:

    ¿Hay una versión española de este sitio?

    Reply
  12. Joe Stewart, on August 14, 2008 at 7:55 pm said:

    Thanks for the help! I found a number I wanted a placed an order in just a few minutes. I can\’t wait \’til its active.

    Reply
  13. Harry Ramirez, on August 14, 2008 at 7:55 pm said:

    I\’m in real estate and since the markets been down, I\’ve gotten a couple toll frees so my customers don\’t have to pay to call me. I get so many calls now; I\’m the envy of my office. =)

    Reply
  14. Timothy Allen, on August 14, 2008 at 7:56 pm said:

    Great info!!!!

    Reply
  15. Victor Perry, on August 15, 2008 at 4:58 pm said:

    good point

    Reply
  16. Russell Coleman, on August 17, 2008 at 2:17 am said:

    good point

    Reply
  17. Louis Sanders, on August 20, 2008 at 11:21 pm said:

    These are only Japan based manufacturers. American companies have made no such agreement.

    Reply
  18. Edward Martinez, on August 21, 2008 at 10:34 pm said:

    Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you.

    Reply
  19. Lawrence Richardson, on August 25, 2008 at 10:16 pm said:

    Two things are infinite : the universe and human stupidity; I’m not sure about the universe.

    Reply
  20. Andrew Green, on August 25, 2008 at 10:38 pm said:

    Wisdom begins in wonder.

    Reply
  21. Henry Campbell, on August 26, 2008 at 4:39 am said:

    These are only Japan based manufacturers. American companies have made no such agreement.

    Reply
  22. Willie Rivera, on August 27, 2008 at 12:29 am said:

    Bacteria is sometimes the only culture some people have.

    Reply
  23. Benjamin Ward, on August 27, 2008 at 8:48 pm said:

    (800) 588-2300, Empireeeeeeeee! Call Empire today!

    (You Chicagoland people know what I’m talking about :-> )

    Reply
  24. Aaron Bennett, on August 29, 2008 at 12:06 am said:

    somewhere a supervisor is yelling “calls in queue!”

    Reply
  25. Kevin Lewis, on August 29, 2008 at 8:22 pm said:

    American Idol is gonna be a lot worse now…

    Reply
  26. Edward Martinez, on September 1, 2008 at 2:06 pm said:

    The chief danger in life is that you may take too many precautions.

    Reply
  27. Clarence Foster, on September 2, 2008 at 2:00 am said:

    my number 1. my debt collectors have been calling me alot lately

    Reply
  28. Stephen Scott, on September 2, 2008 at 9:08 pm said:

    now they just have to make it free to call in the united states

    Reply
  29. Earl Griffin, on September 3, 2008 at 10:45 pm said:

    Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid all together.

    Reply
  30. Roy Howard, on September 4, 2008 at 5:43 am said:

    A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.

    Reply
  31. Matthew Walker, on September 4, 2008 at 3:52 pm said:

    To bear failure with courage is the best proof of character that anyone can give.

    Reply
  32. Roger Collins, on September 5, 2008 at 4:35 pm said:

    You know what this means right? Return of the Wardailer!

    Reply
  33. Jeremy Price, on September 7, 2008 at 2:05 am said:

    good point

    Reply
  34. Jose Young, on September 10, 2008 at 2:21 am said:

    (800) 588-2300, Empireeeeeeeee! Call Empire today!

    (You Chicagoland people know what I’m talking about :-> )

    Reply
  35. Earl Griffin, on September 10, 2008 at 7:31 am said:

    Why is abbreviation such a long word ?

    Reply
  36. Louis Sanders, on September 10, 2008 at 4:37 pm said:

    Be of use, but don’t be used.

    Reply
  37. Jason Lee, on September 11, 2008 at 5:46 am said:

    Be of use, but don’t be used.

    Reply
  38. Jonathan Reed, on September 11, 2008 at 5:07 pm said:

    Speaking of financial institutions, State Farm Insurance/Bank has been using a voice authentication for about 2 years now. Their system has you repeat about 8 numbers back to it before you can use the telephone teller. I can honestly say that I have had less problems with their system than any other voice recognition/speaker recognition system.

    Reply
  39. Ernest Long, on September 11, 2008 at 8:51 pm said:

    A wise man does not need advice and a fool won’t take it.

    Reply
  40. Gary Hall, on September 11, 2008 at 9:01 pm said:

    How do you use the free service

    Reply
  41. Raymond Adams, on September 11, 2008 at 11:00 pm said:

    I’m gonna have to say that the WRT54GL is the greatest router ever.

    Reply
  42. James Smith, on September 12, 2008 at 8:47 pm said:

    He who can, does. He who can’t, teaches.

    Reply
  43. Larry Hernandez, on September 13, 2008 at 9:49 pm said:

    If you’re not very clever you should be conciliatory.

    Reply
  44. Shawn Simmons, on September 20, 2008 at 5:48 pm said:

    To bear failure with courage is the best proof of character that anyone can give.

    Reply
  45. Howard Barnes, on September 20, 2008 at 6:52 pm said:

    very good

    Reply
  46. Jack Morris, on September 21, 2008 at 12:27 am said:

    I can vouch for the swearing. Some systems don’t respond to key presses and I will just automatically start flipping out then all of a sudden *ring*

    Reply
  47. Adam Gray, on September 21, 2008 at 4:54 am said:

    How do you use the free service

    Reply
  48. Raymond Adams, on September 22, 2008 at 8:35 pm said:

    nice

    Reply
  49. Willie Rivera, on September 23, 2008 at 11:08 pm said:

    When godaddy first listed their phone number i was like… OMG its not 800!!! then i thought.. Via cell phone it’s alllll the same.

    Reply
  50. Timothy Allen, on September 24, 2008 at 3:25 am said:

    how long will it take before the NSA starts using this, no more calling from phone booths, to hide your number

    Reply
  51. Andrew Green, on September 24, 2008 at 4:31 pm said:

    A little off-topic, but what is the fourth generation mentioned in the article? Looking at some of the cellphones in Japan, i’m wondering what further features they could throw in there…

    Reply
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