Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!dsinc!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!news From: news@accuvax.nwu.edu (USENET News System) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: What are 700 and 555 Numbers? Message-ID: <15491@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 16 Dec 90 06:05:00 GMT Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 12 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 888, Message 11 of 13 I have seen several things done with 700 numbers. My understanding is that, unlike all other phone numbers in the US/Canada system, 700 numbers are not unique. That is, when you dial 1-700-xxx-xxxx, what you get (if anything) depends on your long distance carrier as well as on the number itself; different carriers can use the same 700 number for different things. The original 700 number, of course, was 700 555-4141, which is free and gets you a recording telling you what LD carrier you are on. If you get any other 700 numbers, check them out with your LD company before using them. Not all of them are free on all carriers.