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 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 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 15, 2009 by smsgov
Attended a very interesting telecommunications conference last last week, At one workshop, a member of the Tollfree Advisory Committee at SMSGOV.com discussed that the scarcity of available, good toll free numbers is causing a surge of subscribers scurrying to obtain toll free. Some of the attendees at the meeting fear that small businesses nationwide could see disastrous economic fallout. Toll free numbers are proven as an effective marking strategy that increases customer base and boosts revenue. The depletion of supplies are creating much discussion within the industry.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, 800 numbers, smsgov, toll free | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 13, 2009 by smsgov
Any United States citizen eligible for a $250 federal stimulus check who did not receive it by now is advised to call the Social Security Administration’s toll-free number, (800) 772-1213, or contact the local office. The Department of Treasury was to send payments to all eligible Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries immediately.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, 800-772-1213, stimulus checks, toll free hotline | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 12, 2009 by smsgov
Changes in television service are in store for all U.S. TV watchers this week as analog systems are changed over to digital transmission. Anyone with an antenna will now need a convertor box. The transition can be confusing so the FCC has implemented a toll free number for anyone with questions about their digital service or the need to get a converter box. Call toll-free 888-225-5322 (CALL FCC) for information.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, digital TV, toll free help, toll free number | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 11, 2009 by smsgov
Named as the new chairman of the failing General Motors Corp., M Edward E. Whitacre Jr. built AT&T Inc. into the biggest U.S. provider of telephone service over a 43-year-career. Mr. Whitacre, of Texas and nicknamed “Big Ed” said steering the nation’s largest automaker after bankruptcy is “a public service.” People who know him say he can meet GM’s need for the type of transformation he orchestrated at AT&T.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, 1-800 numbers. toll free number, GM, telecommunications, toll free | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 9, 2009 by smsgov
In March 1998, the FCC ordered the fair distribution of vanity toll free numbers. The Commission concluded that assigning vanity numbers would be on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure fair allocation of numbers. The FCC decided that “a first-come, first-served process is also the most efficient method for assigning toll free numbers because it is the most easily administered and least expensive way to allocate numbers.” The FCC also announced that the the first-come, first-served system avoids disputes among subscribers over who is entitled to a particular number
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, fcc law, toll free number, vanity numbers | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 9, 2009 by smsgov
Recent reports have referred to the situation as the ‘the perfect storm” meaning the shortage of numbers, the soaring demand, and the failure of the federal government to release reserved numbers have all collided to create a situation in which rationing, an embargo or even a complete depletion of 800 numbers is possible.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1 800 number, 1-800, 800, 800 number, 866, 877, 888, toll free, toll free number, toll free numbers | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 7, 2009 by smsgov
From Massachsett’s paper the Pembroke Express: The Committee on Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy held a hearing on several bills including requiring telephone companies to eliminate the private caller feature that currently allows callers the option to not have their phone number show up on the caller ID system of the person being called (S 1475). Under the bill, all numbers would be displayed.
Another proposal would require telephone companies to establish a toll-free number and a database of consumers who wish to opt out of receiving telephone directories and prohibit companies from delivering books to those homes (H 3116).
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, news, telecommunications, toll free | Leave a comment »
Toll Free Service Management System News 