Posted on June 20, 2009 by smsgov
The proposed hike in the interstate telephone contribution that consumers might soon be paying into the Universal Service Fund was recently criticized by the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates. The increase would bring the USF contribution to 12.9% of a users bill, compared with the current 11.4%. Every telephone user in the country pays into the USF already. The monies are used to maintain and subsidize rural telephone service to places where it would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.
The USF is controlled by the Universal Service Administrative Company, and overseen by a joint board consisting of FCC and state-level commissioners.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, fcc, phone service, telecommunications, toll free | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 20, 2009 by smsgov
Using the DNS to store such data rather than simply mapping web addresses to IP addresses is “the most significant innovation in the domain name system since the advent of .com”, according to Khashayar Mahdavi, the CEO of London-based Telnic, which is operating the .tel registry.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: .tel, domain extention, domain name, tel tld, tld | 11 Comments »
Posted on June 19, 2009 by smsgov
As with any commodity in high demand, a black market for toll free numbers is growing. And we here that regulators are scrambling to control the illegal sales of valuable 800 numbers. With toll free service soaring in popularity while finite supplies of available numbers drop, attempts to illegally buy and sell choice numbers on the black market is increasing.
According to regulations enacted in 1997 by FCC, toll free phone numbers cannot be sold or brokered. These rules were approved after the FCC fielded numerous complaints about price gouging for catchy vanity numbers and popular numeric sequences. The FCC reports that anyone caught attempting to sell or broker an 800 number faces significant fines.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, black market, toll free numbers | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 19, 2009 by smsgov
The application process consists of three main steps:
1. Fill out and submit the 10 page Service Establishment Form.
2. Send your deposit to the SMS800 Help Desk. (about $4000)
3. Study for and pass the certification test
You can begin the application process by clicking here
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: resp, resp org, responsible organization, resporg, toll free provider | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 18, 2009 by smsgov
Pfizer has launched a new toll free number as part of a program to provide people with free prescription drugs for up to a year to people who have lost their jobs and health insurance. To be eligible, people must have lost their job since January 1st and have been on Pfizer drugs for three months or more before that. Patients can call a toll-free number, 866-706-2400, to sign up.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: Pfizer, toll free, toll free services | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 18, 2009 by smsgov
Power companies all along the East Coast are in the process of setting up toll free numbers in case of a hurricane this summer. As the annual storm season approaches, and with predictions indicating a high number of hurricanes in 2009, toll free phone service will be one of the main ways people can obtain information prior to the storm and assistance, if necessary, afterwards. For example, Virginia Dominion Power has set up 1-888-667-3000 to report outages or downed lines. The company’s outage reporting system, which consists of call-center representatives as well as an automated voice response unit, can handle up to 100,000 calls an hour.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1 800 numbers, 1-800 numbers. toll free numbers. tollfree. phone service, toll free, toll free service | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 17, 2009 by smsgov
A reminder of the need for new toll free area codes: 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. To manage fair distribution of the numbers remaining, federal agencies have cracked down on the illegal sale of 800 numbers and the hoarding, or stockpiling, of numbers and this is helping somewhat. The real solution, many say, is the release of reserved toll free numbers.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, toll free hoarding, toll free ration | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 17, 2009 by smsgov
Triggerfish, also known as cell-site simulators or digital analyzers, are nothing new: the technology was used in the 1990s to hunt down renowned hacker Kevin Mitnick. By posing as a cell tower, triggerfish trick nearby cell phones into transmitting their serial numbers, phone numbers, and other data to law enforcement. Most previous descriptions of the technology, however, suggested that because of range limitations, triggerfish were only useful for zeroing in on a phone’s precise location once cooperative cell providers had given a general location.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: cell tracking, civil liberties, law, privacy, triggerfish | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 16, 2009 by smsgov
A proposed merger of Frontier Communication Corporation and Verizon Communications, Inc. that could affect 500,000 subscribers will undergo comprehensive consumer input, including public hearings, and a close examination by state regulators. Frontier and Verizon announced their merger request in May. Under Ohio law, the merger is automatically approved if the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) fails to suspend the process within 30 days of the application.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: phone service, telecommunications, toll free, verizon | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 16, 2009 by smsgov
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.
Read more here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: 800 number, 800 numbers, free, toll, toll free, voip | 1 Comment »
Toll Free Service Management System News 