FEMA Provides Populace With Toll Free Hotline

To address spring and summer flooding and other natural emergencies, FEMS offers a toll free service to provide aide and information. Anyone who has suffered hardships due to a natural emergency can seek assistance. Call 1-800-621-FEMA for more details. Hearing and speech impaired applicants with TTY equipment can call 1-800-462-7585.

Practical Marketing Tip

Interesting post from Practical Ecommerce  (practicalecommerce.com):

Place a toll-free phone number in a large font in the header of your website. You will get a few more phone calls, and that is a good thing. Answering your business phone is your ticket to increasing the average revenue per sale, as the phone is one of the best places a merchant can up-sell.

We completely agree. Toll free telecommunications has a multitude of benefits for every type of business.

Victims of Crime Protected Through Toll Free Number

Crime victims now have more access to information about the custody status of their offenders thanks to a new toll free service provided by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana. Citizens can call the LAVNS’ toll-free hot line at 866-LAVNS-4-U to find out if their offender is in jail. They also can register to be notified when that offender is released or if that offender escapes. The victim will receive notification calls regarding the status every half-hour for 48 hours.

New Concern Over Diminishing Supplies of 800 Numbers

Is concern growing about the diminishing stock of 800 numbers? It appears to be. Higher demand for toll free service, especially in this economy, is depleting stocks of good numbers. Studies show that telephone orders can increase up to 60 percent and word of mouth referrals can rise by 200 percent if a toll free number is advertised. These types of statistics bring in thousands of new toll free subscribers every day. And these subscribers want access to a good supply of available numbers.

Happy Independence Day From SMSGOV!!

Happy Fourth of July from everyone at SMSGOV!

1-800 Numbers Help Vets Reach Services This Holiday Weekend

This week of July Fourth, veterans’ groups nationwide typically receive twice the number of inquiries and requests for help than at other times of the year. usual. There are numerous veterans advocacy services available through 1-800 phone number inquiries. There are several dozen toll free numbers listed exclusively for organizations and agencies offering some type of service for U.S. veterans. (866-VETS-NJ4U and 800-273-TALK are two examples.)

Federal Oversight

The FCC does not play a role in the assignment of new toll free numbers. Instead, they regulate the guidelines under which 1-800 numbers can be used and obtained. For instance, the FCC has declared that the hoarding and warehousing of numbers is prohibited and punishable with severe fines—recently illustrated by a citation for an $11,000 fine each day a California company continued to implement improper toll free practices. Numbers are assigned by toll free carriers (resp. orgs) and phone companies. Subscribers have the option of shopping around for the best quality and the best rates.

If You’re Thinking About Investing in an 800 Number Don’t Hesitate

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.

Read more here.

Continued Demand Means Indefinite Shortages

Experts warn that the U.S. supply of available 1-800 numbers, dwindling for years, is now nearly depleted. Toll free numbers enable 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 1-800 numbers are decreasing while demand is growing at unprecedented rates.

As Soon As We Hear About 855……

Here in this industry we field a lot of questions about telecommunications and, in particular, toll free telephone service. Most notable lately are questions about whether or not new 855 area codes will become available for use. As we have stated here many times, we are still unsure exactly when the 855 numbers will be released but the rumors suggest very soon. We will continue to keep all our readers posted and as soon as we hear anything at all about 855 numbers we will let you know through this blog.