How do toll-free numbers work?
A toll free number just forwards to or rings to any regular local number, kind of like a remote call forwarded number. No special equipment or additional line or installation is required. All the features (ie. Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Voicemail, rollovers etc) on the local line, work the same as if the caller had dialed the local number.
Technically, when a call is placed to a toll free number, the Local Exchange Company (LEC) queries the SMS800 Database to determine the inter-exchange carrier (long distance company) responsible for carrying the call. The inter-exchange carrier then picks up the call, applies the appropriate features or routing, creates a call record for billing, and routes the call to the terminating number, trunk ID or circuit ID to which the toll free number is programmed to ring to. This entire process takes milliseconds and is virtually transparent to the caller.
In plain English, it’s free for the caller and whenever anyone dials this number, it’s routed via the long distance company the owner selects to the local number they have programmed or chosen and the owner pays for the cost of the incoming call, basically as if they had made it themselves.
All features such as caller id, call waiting, call forwarding or roll overs, voicemail or any answering equipment or service all work the exact same as if the caller had dialed the local number. This doesn’t affect the local number and the incoming toll free calls can’t be distinguished from regular local calls which still work the same too. That is unless you use distinctive ringing, or an enhanced toll free service that announces the calls before connecting the call. The simplest way to think of a toll free number is as a remote call forwarded number, that doesn’t have any physical location, but just forwards into where ever you point it.
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michaelpatisso says:
March 2, 2008 at 9:29 am
Hello,
Is there monthly fees involved? and how many minutes are allowed each month? In addition will I be able to make outgoing calls and have my 800 number show up as the caller ID.
Bill Quimby (610 comments.) says:
March 2, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Michael,
We don’t provide the ongoing service. We help you find the best number, activate it and you’ll get 100 minutes or 30 days for free. Then you just pay whatever company you want to use for the ongoing service.
No toll free number makes outbound calls so it won’t show up in your caller ID. The local number that you call from shows up in your caller ID.
.Bill Quimby.
Alexandra says:
April 8, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Does my regular phone number change into the tollfree number?
Bill Quimby (610 comments.) says:
April 8, 2008 at 7:51 pm
No Alexandra. Your regular phone number doesn’t “change” to the toll free number. The toll free number just rings into or is forwarded to that local number. Other than making it ring when the toll free number is dialed it doesn’t change the local number at all.
People also often refer to a toll free number being attached to a local line, but a toll free number really doesn’t physically “attach” to a local line. That’s just where it sends the calls.
Bill
Bryan Winters says:
June 4, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I have directed my toll free number to my cell phone to receive in business calls from prospective customers. If I cannot take the call at the time the customer will leave their phone number in a voice mail.
When I return their call on my cell phone I don’t want the caller ID to show my cell phone number but the toll free number. Is this possible and if so how do I set this up?
Bryan
Bill Quimby (610 comments.) says:
June 5, 2008 at 9:51 am
Bryan,
There’s no way to change the caller ID of your cell phone to show a different number that I’m aware of. You can program office PBX’s to show toll free numbers but there’s no way to do that with a cell phone. I’m not sure it would be a good thing even if there was for two reasons anyway.
Would you really want anyone with a cell phone to be able to program a different number into their cell phone? It would greatly diminish the value and legitimacy of caller ID, wouldn’t it? Secondly some people look at any toll free number in caller ID with skepticism.
There is one service that may help to allow you to manipulate a variation of caller ID. Take a look at Accudata Technologies Smart Caller ID. I have a page more focused about 800 number Caller ID and there are a couple other services that people use to get the real information when caller ID doesn’t show it. Although I’m not sure whether that will really help you in this case. See WhoCalled.us for more help knowing who is calling from the caller ID and also a Wiki post for more about Caller ID Spoofing
Bill
Shane says:
November 15, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I am on a family plan and my mom receives the bill. I need to make a call and I don’t want my parents to know because I want to surprise them with something. I was wondering if by dialing the toll free number, will they be able to see what specific contact I called or how will that show up on the bill? Will it be just the number I dialed or will it even show up at all? Sorry, don’t know much about this stuff.
Wade says:
December 11, 2009 at 2:56 am
Hello,
If a toll free number is routed to a cell phone voice mail, will the caller be charged for the cell phone voice mail? Assuming they are using a landline. If so, is it fair to promote a toll free number as toll free?