In 2005, the FCC yanked control of 1-800-Red-Cross from a private California business owner who was leasing the use of the number to local chapters of the Red Cross. When the charity filed a formal complaint, the FCC determined that the brokering was illegal and handed over control of the number to the non-profit.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 number brokering, 800 numbers, brokers, number brokering, toll free brokering, toll free numbers | Leave a comment »
In 2005, the FCC yanked control of 1-800-Red-Cross from a private California business owner who was leasing the use of the number to local chapters of the Red Cross. When the charity filed a formal complaint, the FCC determined that the brokering was illegal and handed over control of the number to the non-profit.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 number brokering, 800 number hoarding, 800 numbers, brokers, number brokering, toll free brokering, toll free numbers | Leave a comment »
Concern about the diminishing stock of 800 numbers is creating an even higher demand for toll free service, a marketing tool that the FCC says is “proven” to increase business. 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.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 number brokering, 800 number hoarding, fcc, toll free brokering, toll free hoarding, toll free numbers | Leave a comment »
Launched in 1967 by AT&T, 800 numbers came under the purview of the FCC in the 1980s when the phone service monopoly broke apart. In 1991, the FCC required that toll-free numbers be portable, meaning that a toll-free number subscriber can “port” his or her number to a new provider when changing toll-free number service providers. Read the full news story here!
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1 800 number, 1-800, 1967, 800 numbers, att, numbers, telecommunications, toll, toll free, toll free brokering | Leave a comment »
With readership of this blog growing every day, we want to take this opportunity to remind you all of the proper and legal distribution of toll free numbers. A toll free number must be obtained on a first-come-first-served basis from an approved provider. According to regulations enacted by the Federal Communications Commission, toll free phone numbers cannot be sold or brokered. These rules were approved after the FCC fielded complaints about price gouging for catchy vanity numbers and popular numeric sequences.
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The owner of a valuable 800 toll free number who attempted to illegally sell the number to an undercover agent faces stiff fines according to regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission.
By law, phone numbers cannot be sold or brokered. In 1997, the FCC made the sale of 800 numbers illegal. Because of the short supply of available numbers, complaints were pouring in at that time that price gouging for the popular numbers was becoming a common practice. The FCC acted quickly, prohibiting sales.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800, 800 number, auction, ebay, number, phone, resp org, resporg, sell 800 numbers, toll free brokering, toll free hoarding, vanity | Leave a comment »
The FCC began investigating hoarding of 800 numbers as far back as 1995, but despite the subsequent release of 888, 877, and 866 pre-fixes, the practice continues to grow along with the skyrocketing popularity of toll free service. Hoarding by individual subscribers is illegal. A subscriber may not acquire more toll-free numbers than they intend to use. By FCC definition, “hoarding” also includes “brokering” toll-free numbers for a fee.
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This seems to be a hot topic these days. Under rules established in 1997 by the FCC, toll-free service providers cannot reserve a toll-free number without having an actual toll-free subscriber for whom the number is being reserved. By law, available numbers must be doled out on a first-come, first served basis off the main database maintained by the 800 Service Management System (SMS/800). Hoarding numbers is likewise illegal. A subscriber may not acquire more toll-free numbers than they intend to use. By FCC definition, “hoarding” also includes “brokering” which is the illegal lease or sale of toll-free numbers for a fee.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, 800 number, 800 numbers, fcc, fcc law, toll free, toll free brokering, toll free hoarding, toll free practices | Leave a comment »
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 brokering, toll free hoarding, toll free numbers | Leave a comment »
Sales of sought-after toll free numbers on eBay continue even as reports of the FCC looking into improper turnover of these numbers continues. Log on now and you will see listings. A black market for toll free numbers has emerged and attempts to illegally buy and sell choice numbers is increasing. According to regulations enacted by the FCC in 1997, 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. But that hasn’t stopped brokers from attempting to sell numbers on Internet websites and auction sites such as eBay.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1 800 numbers, 1-800, ebay, phone service, toll free brokering, toll free hoarding, toll free numbers, tollfree | Leave a comment »
Toll Free Service Management System News 