Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Steve Vance Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Calling 800 Numbers From Europe Message-ID: <11521@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 30 Aug 90 03:58:16 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA Lines: 60 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 608, Message 6 of 11 In regards to the capability of calling 800 numbers from countries other than the United States, there was a blurb in last month's Compuserve Magazine (July 90), page 8: ----begin quoted article---- BYPASSING TOLL-FREE TROLLS Toll-free numbers provide a convenient and cost-effective method for businesses to stay in touch with customers. The drawback, however, is they are inaccessible to anyone who happens not to be in the targeted market area*. For those individuals, as well as travelers seeking an alternative to the high international telephone call surcharges imposed by many hotels, Credit Card Calling Services can help. CCCS provides access by bypassing local telephone companies, which typically block toll-free calls as they can collect no revenue on them. For $4.80 plus $1.35 a minute, CCCS connects you with any US telephone number, bypassing local telephone operators. The service is currently available in several countries including the United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, United Kingdom residents can call CCCS toll-free at 0800-891-800. Others may obtain an information packet and a local access number by calling 212/323-8030 or writing: Suite 2411, 67 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005. ------end of article----- I put the "*" above next to something that surprised me. I didn't know that the Locals blocked 800 numbers for that reason -- I thought you restricted 800 number access to only be available in areas you wanted to market to, to minimize the number of hours of use and therefore the cost. In fact, I thought that more than one person or company could have the same 800 number, as long as the regions were far apart geographically. But anyway, there is probably some usefulness in some of the above information to someone, I hope. [Moderator's Note: I think CCCS or someone is lying about the blocking of 800 calls by telcos 'as they can collect no revenue on them'. Of course they collect revenue on them! 800 calling is nothing more or less than automatic reverse-charge, or collect calling. And the telco which originates the call *always* gets paid for the call, through intercompany billing and settlements with the telco which actually collects for the call. If you called me collect through the operator, are you saying your local telco would be working for free? Responding to your second statement about duplication in numbers based on distance, this is not correct. 800 numbers, like all telephone numbers, are not duplicated within an 'area code', which in this case is 800. Telcos *do* block 800 calls if the receiver of the call -- the person who is paying for it, remember -- says he won't pay for calls from some particular area of the country; i.e. a subscriber who only accepts intra-state calls, or local area calls. PAT]