Comments on: Should we be allowing users to buy and sell numbers? http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html 1-800 Toll free number search program to locate vanity 800 numbers Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:29:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Bill Quimby http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-687 Bill Quimby Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:29:56 +0000 http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-687 One more thing I just thought of; Does this same logic mean I really have to remove the third party numbers. I have been putting the owners of numbers into one of the fields of numbers so I can just forward the emails of interested parties to the owner, if that owner expressed interest in receiving those inquiries. I don't charge for passing on these leads, but maybe we have to drop that for the same reason. It is kind of facilitating in a way, although if it's a regular end user and not someone in the business of buying and selling numbers it's really not as much of an issue. I only did this to be a service to everyone involved and because I thought this provided more value to the user of my website. Maybe the smart thing will be to allow visitors to use the commenting system on their own to do it by listing their email address if they want to. That would be less hands on and require less work on my part anyway. The comments system isn't ready yet for numbers but we're working on it. What do you think?<ul></ul> One more thing I just thought of; Does this same logic mean I really have to remove the third party numbers. I have been putting the owners of numbers into one of the fields of numbers so I can just forward the emails of interested parties to the owner, if that owner expressed interest in receiving those inquiries.

I don’t charge for passing on these leads, but maybe we have to drop that for the same reason. It is kind of facilitating in a way, although if it’s a regular end user and not someone in the business of buying and selling numbers it’s really not as much of an issue.

I only did this to be a service to everyone involved and because I thought this provided more value to the user of my website.

Maybe the smart thing will be to allow visitors to use the commenting system on their own to do it by listing their email address if they want to. That would be less hands on and require less work on my part anyway. The comments system isn’t ready yet for numbers but we’re working on it.

What do you think?

    ]]>         By: Paul http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-810 Paul Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:14:28 +0000 http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-810 Bill, My personal opinion is that you provide an excellent service. You do so at price that you have deemed to be fair and reasonable for the service you offer. As long as you make it clear that you are not a party to any transaction after people get a number through you then I think you are fine. I dont believe the FCC would view you as an "accomplise" to those who "grab" numbers and immediately list them for sale on sites like ebay.I dont see any reason for you to block those people from your site.<ul></ul> Bill,

    My personal opinion is that you provide an excellent service. You do so at price that you have deemed to be fair and reasonable for the service you offer. As long as you make it clear that you are not a party to any transaction after people get a number through you then I think you are fine. I dont believe the FCC would view you as an “accomplise” to those who “grab” numbers and immediately list them for sale on sites like ebay.I dont see any reason for you to block those people from your site.

      ]]>             By: Bill Quimby http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-812 Bill Quimby Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:52:37 +0000 http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-812 Thanks Paul, I've talked with a few people that didn't want to write anything and ultimately I think the most appropriate course is Bill Clinton's middle of the road policy of Don't Ask and Don't Tell. I don't get numbers for people that simply want to flip them. I don't work with anyone as a wholesaler or supplier, having them go market or retail them. But at the same time, it's also not my responsibility to evaluate the intentions of my customers either. However if I see a number being sold or evidence that a customer is doing something that goes against our policy of getting numbers for end users, I have an obligation to say No Thank You. The major exception to this would be other phone companies or Resporgs. The biggest change may be that I’m discontinuing the 3rd party numbers which we’ve listed in the search results because even if we’re doing it for the benefit of our visitors, it could be taken as a promotion of end user transfers. So please don’t get numbers here just to resell them. We’re not the phone police but we also can’t allow that if we see it and will take whatever steps seem appropriate on a case by case basis. This probably deserves another post to complete this but there are so many other things I'm behind on posting on it may be a while. Bill<ul></ul> Thanks Paul,

      I’ve talked with a few people that didn’t want to write anything and ultimately I think the most appropriate course is Bill Clinton’s middle of the road policy of Don’t Ask and Don’t Tell.

      I don’t get numbers for people that simply want to flip them. I don’t work with anyone as a wholesaler or supplier, having them go market or retail them.

      But at the same time, it’s also not my responsibility to evaluate the intentions of my customers either. However if I see a number being sold or evidence that a customer is doing something that goes against our policy of getting numbers for end users, I have an obligation to say No Thank You. The major exception to this would be other phone companies or Resporgs.

      The biggest change may be that I’m discontinuing the 3rd party numbers which we’ve listed in the search results because even if we’re doing it for the benefit of our visitors, it could be taken as a promotion of end user transfers.

      So please don’t get numbers here just to resell them. We’re not the phone police but we also can’t allow that if we see it and will take whatever steps seem appropriate on a case by case basis.

      This probably deserves another post to complete this but there are so many other things I’m behind on posting on it may be a while.

      Bill

        ]]>                 By: John http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-847 John Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:42:44 +0000 http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-847 Bill, When packaging a service to a client sometimes it is nice to provide a vanity number option. Many customers desire to outsource the work to search and capture a good vanity number to someone who knows how the toll free system functions. There are a few that decide that they must own the numbers, so the number is transferred to them up front instead of at the end of a business relationship. Is this brokering or merely selling a value added package? Does the prohibition on brokering intend to stop the practices of many who hoard toll free numbers, in the 1000s, thereby removing useable numbers from active use in the marketplace and exhausting prematurely the toll free numbering space.<ul></ul> Bill,
        When packaging a service to a client sometimes it is nice to provide a vanity number option. Many customers desire to outsource the work to search and capture a good vanity number to someone who knows how the toll free system functions. There are a few that decide that they must own the numbers, so the number is transferred to them up front instead of at the end of a business relationship.

        Is this brokering or merely selling a value added package? Does the prohibition on brokering intend to stop the practices of many who hoard toll free numbers, in the 1000s, thereby removing useable numbers from active use in the marketplace and exhausting prematurely the toll free numbering space.

          ]]>                     By: Bill Quimby http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-849 Bill Quimby Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:28:48 +0000 http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/blogs/users-buying-and-selling-numbers.html#comment-849 That’s a good point and even more importantly is how it illustrates the difficulty in making specific rules like this. If the “package� is essentially the phone number with a bow on it, then that’s still selling the number even if you include something else, minor with it. If the phone number is just a piece or component of a real package or business, then that works for me. This of course requires some judgment and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. I think having some experience in this, I can make this work. Let me know if you have any questions or need any help with anything else. Bill<ul></ul> That’s a good point and even more importantly is how it illustrates the difficulty in making specific rules like this. If the “package� is essentially the phone number with a bow on it, then that’s still selling the number even if you include something else, minor with it. If the phone number is just a piece or component of a real package or business, then that works for me. This of course requires some judgment and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

          I think having some experience in this, I can make this work. Let me know if you have any questions or need any help with anything else.

          Bill

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