Overview
Toll free numbers are numbers that begin with one of the following
three-digit codes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, or 844. Toll free numbers allow callers to reach businesses
and/or individuals without being charged for the call. The charge for using a toll free number is paid by
the called party (the toll free subscriber) instead of the calling party. Toll free numbers can be
dialed directly to your business or personal telephone line.
Toll free numbers are very common and have proven successful for businesses, particularly in the areas of
customer service and telemarketing. Toll free service has traditionally provided potential customers and
others with a "free" and convenient way to contact businesses. In addition, customers may now send text
messages to toll free numbers, so long as those numbers are “text enabled,” and businesses can send texts
in response.
Today, there are six toll free codes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, and 844. Although 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, and
844 are all toll free codes, they are not interchangeable. For example, 1-800-234-5678 is not the same number
as 1-888-234-5678. Calls to each toll free number are routed to a particular local telephone number.