Posted on October 18, 2010 by smsgov
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.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 number, 855, 855 area code, 866, 877, 888, att, qwest, ration, rationing, toll free, verizon | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 18, 2010 by smsgov
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.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 numbers, 855, 855 area code, 855 number, 866, 877, 888, att, qwest, ration, rationing, toll free, verizon | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 17, 2010 by smsgov
Toll free numbers have such an extreme positive impact on any company, that it is rare for business owners to cancel their numbers. A plea for unused numbers to be released offered a brief reprieve earlier this year. But within weeks, the supply dropped again as thousands of new subscribers invested in toll free service each day.
Toll free service has a long history. 800 numbers were introduced in 1967. By the 1980s, nearly half of all long distance calls would be toll free. Today, 98 percent of adults say they regularly use toll free numbers.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 number, 800 numbers, free, toll, toll free, voip | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 17, 2010 by smsgov
Growing concern about the limited stock of 800 numbers is creating an even higher demand. The FCC cites toll free service as a “proven” marketing tool for increasing and sustaining business. In fact, studies show that telephone orders can increase up to 60 percent and word of mouth referrals can rise by 200 percent. American adults report that they make an average of 60 toll free calls per year.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800, 800 number, 800 numbers, free, number, numbers, phone, ration, rationing, toll, toll free, toll free number, toll free numbers, toll free ration | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 16, 2010 by smsgov
The FCC has a long history of reviewing legislation with regard to the use of toll free. For instance, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 amended section 228 to impose more stringent restrictions on the use of toll-free numbers to charge consumers for information services. On July 11, 1996, the Commission amended its rules governing interstate pay-per-call (900 numbers) and other information services to address abusive practices that threatened public confidence in toll-free numbers and left telephone subscribers vulnerable to unexpected charges for calls and information services.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: fcc, fcc law, toll free, toll free numbers | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 15, 2010 by smsgov
The newest way to use toll free to help veterans begins next month in New England. The Massachusetts Bar Association will sponsor a Veterans Dial-A-Lawyer call-in program on Wednesday, November 17. Veterans who have legal questions toll free 877-686-0711 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to speak to volunteer attorney. The Veterans Dial-A-Lawyer is provided at no charge. Government and private sector use of toll free phone numbers is continuously growing.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800 numbers for veterans, 877 numbers, toll free, toll free numbers, toll free services | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 15, 2010 by smsgov
Free cell phones are now being provided to needy residents of the U.S. The program is called SafeLink and is intended for low-income families and anyone receiving Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income and other government assistance programs. Safelink is being hailed as a safety program for those who cannot afford phones to stay in touch with children and family or who may need to contact police and medical personnel.
For more information on the free cell phone program go to SafeLink.com or call 1-800-977-3768.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: cell phones, phone service, toll free | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 14, 2010 by smsgov
In the past few years, proposals to ration toll free numbers have been narrowly defeated. Yet, rumors are still swirling that a rationing program for the few remaining 800 numbers is imminent. Supplies of 800, 888, 877, and 866 numbers are so depleted that availability is at an all-time low. But some say rationing the numbers, as the federal government did in 1995, is not the answer and could have a negative impact on the business community.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800 numbers, toll free, toll free numbers, toll free ration, toll free service | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 14, 2010 by smsgov
Users who are waiting to reserve a number that will soon be returned to spare now know what time a given number will automatically spare. With the implementation of SMS/800 Release 16.0, numbers scheduled for automatic spare are released at 11 pm Central.
Read more here.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 800, 800 number, sms, sms800, status, toll free | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 13, 2010 by smsgov
1-866 numbers are increasing in popularity. For many subscribers, it is easier to find a suitable 1-866 number these days than a 1-800 number. They are widely recognized as toll free numbers. AT&T introduced 800 numbers in 1967. Two decades later, when most of the 7 million possible numbers were taken, the 888 pre-fix was introduced. It took just two years for that supply to run dry. The FCC then launched 877 in 1998 followed soon after by 866.
Filed under: Information | Tagged: 1-800, 1-866 numbers, 866, 866 area code, 866 pre-fix numbers, toll free | Leave a comment »
Toll Free Service Management System News 