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.
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 »
866 numbers are the newest toll free numbers, released by the Federal Communications Commission in 2000 to address the shortage of 800, 888, and 877 numbers. Once consumers began to recognize the 866 pre-fix as toll free, the value of 866 soared. Recent studies indicate that 9 out of 10 consumers recognize 866 as a toll free number. The 866 numbers are more popular then ever before, increasing in demand every day.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 866, 866 number, 866 numbers, phone numbers, toll free | Leave a comment »
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.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 numbers, 855 number, 866, 877, 877 number, 877 numbers, 888 | Leave a comment »
866 numbers are the newest toll free numbers, released by the Federal Communications Commission in 2000 to address the shortage of 800, 888, and 877 numbers. Once consumers began to recognize the 866 pre-fix as toll free, the value of 866 soared. Recent studies indicate that 9 out of 10 consumers recognize 866 as a toll free number. The 866 numbers are more popular then ever before, increasing in demand every day.
Continue to full story.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 866, numbers, toll free | Leave a comment »
Telecommunications industry sources now say an unthinkable embargo on new toll free phone service in the United States is a real possibility within the next year. Facing a severe shortage of available 800-numbers, a skyrocketing demand for toll free service and an emerging black market for 800 numbers, insiders say officials feel they are left with no choice but to impose an embargo.
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.
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.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has a stockpile of new 855 numbers reserved to address the shortage but these numbers are not expected to be released anytime soon. With available 800, 888, 877, and 866 numbers at all all-time low, insiders fear the numbers will run completely dry, hurting business and creating an out-of-control black market.
Experts say that consumers recognize that many of the advantages of 1-800 numbers outweigh standard local phone service. Toll free service is becoming increasingly common with parents wishing to keep in close contact with children and teens. Businesses with a 1-800 number can see almost instant increases in sales, word of mouth referrals, and a decrease in product returns and the FCC reports that toll free service is a “proven” marketing tool.
Industry insiders are recommending 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 finite supply is nearly expended but numbers can safely and rapidly be obtained through providers such as AT&T, Verizon, or Qwest.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1 800 number, 1-800, 800, 800 number, 866, 877, 888, toll free, toll free number, toll free numbers | 44 Comments »
The stock of available toll free numbers is now so depleted that insiders say government agencies may implement another rationing of the 800, 888, 877, and 866 pre-fixes within months. Rumors of a rationing program have subscribers scrambling to obtain numbers, creating an even more limited supply.
The federal government rationed coveted 800 numbers in 1995 until the new 888 pre-fix was introduced a year later. But the U.S. supply of available 1-800 numbers, dwindling for years, is again 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.
The force behind the demand for toll-free numbers is not only the traditional business use: a growing market is comprised of residential customers. If rationing is implemented, obtaining a new toll free number will be more difficult than ever before.
The popularity of the 1-800 number, launched in 1967, led the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to add the new pre-fixes 888 and 877 in the mid-1990s. When availability of those numbers plummeted, 866 was added in 2000 to overcome the shortage. Since then, there have been no new pre-fixes introduced and supplies are rapidly shrinking.
There are no immediate plans to add another toll free pre-fix. In fact, the reserved 855 pre-fix numbers are not expected to be released for several years. Meanwhile, toll free phone numbers have become a staple of the business world and demand is consistently rising.
Industry insiders are recommending 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 finite supply is nearly expended but numbers can safely and rapidly be obtained through providers such as AT&T, Verizon, or Qwest.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 numbers, 855, 855 area code, 866, 877, 888, att, qwest, ration, rationing, toll free, verizon | 76 Comments »
A new trend in the use of 800 numbers is drastically increasing the number of subscribers to toll free service. The new users? Families.
Personal use of toll free phone service has skyrocketed in the past five years. Adults are now routinely providing elderly parents on a fixed income with an 800 number. Parents are hooking their kids up with toll free service so they can keep in constant communication. And experts say this trend is not a passing fancy. Toll free service for personal use is here to stay.
Toll free numbers enable callers to reach businesses, organizations, and non-profits without having to pay for the call. This trend has been so successful that the available 1-800, 888, 877, and 866 numbers are decreasing while demand is growing at unprecedented rates. In fact, an average of 8,000 new subscribers sign up for toll free numbers every single day.
Toll free service has gone through several incarnations over the past four decades. First, 800 numbers were primarily used by big business. This is still the case—almost all of the Fortune 500 companies have an 800 number. Then, toll free service became more affordable and easy to obtain, causing a surge in use by small businesses, online companies, and not-for-profits. Now, personal use is all the rage.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the 800 Service Management System (SMS/800) both report that personal use of toll free numbers is on the rise. 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 supply is nearly depleted.
With supplies of available toll free numbers plummeting, experts are recommending that anyone wishing to obtain a toll free number secure one immediately. When obtaining numbers for use by children and elderly relatives, it is especially important that subscribers deal with reliable service providers. Companies like AT&T and Verizon quickly secure a number for any subscriber, offer low rates, and reliable fiber optic connections.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800, 800 numbers, 866, 877, 888, home phone, local, local numbers, numbers, phone number, phone numbers, toll free | 48 Comments »
With 800 numbers becoming more and more difficult to obtain, the toll free 866 numbers are rising in popularity and fast becoming one of the most requested toll free numbers.
866 numbers are the newest toll free numbers, released by the Federal Communications Commission in 2000 to address the shortage of 800, 888, and 877 numbers. Once consumers began to recognize the 866 pre-fix as toll free, the value of 866 soared. Recent studies indicate that 9 out of 10 consumers recognize 866 as a toll free number. The 866 numbers are more popular then ever before, increasing in demand every day.
But insiders warn that just like 800, 888, and 877, the 866 numbers are in short supply. A nationwide demand for toll free service has caused supplies of the limited available phone numbers to plummet.
Toll free 800 numbers were introduced in 1967. Two decades later, when most of the 7 million possible numbers were taken, the 888 pre-fix debuted. It took just two years for that supply to run out. With the popularity of toll free service soaring and supplies dropping, the FCC then launched 877 in 1998 followed soon after by 866. While insiders initially worried that consumers would not recognize 877 and 866 as toll free, these numbers have steadily grown in popularity.
The FCC has reserved 855 numbers for future use. But according to SMS/800, the reserved 855 pre-fix, intended to restore the rapidly decreasing stock of numbers, may not be released for several years. In fact, industry insiders say 855 might not be introduced until 2011.
Experts recommend that anyone wishing to obtain a, 866 toll free number secure one immediately. With a limited number of toll free possibilities, the finite numerical supply is nearly expended. 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.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 866, 866 number, 866 numbers, phone numbers, toll free | 54 Comments »
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.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 numbers, 855 number, 866, 877, 877 number, 877 numbers, 888 | 55 Comments »
Toll Free Service Management System News 