# 1-800 numbers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 1999, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980 "1999-07-01T19:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/1 "1999-07-01T19:42:00Z")
What is the reason why other countries do not have 1-800 numbers? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/2 "1999-07-01T20:05:00Z")
My WAG: Other nations do have the enormous emphasis on a)telecommunications and b)customer service ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/3 "1999-07-01T20:05:00Z")
what is with me!? DO NOT have the emphasis… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/4 "1999-07-01T20:37:00Z")
I’d also have to add the WAG that it has simply to do with the telecommunications restrictions each country imposes. From what I understand, in the UK, the phone company (I think there’s only one, but I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong) also doesn’t allow for fixed rate phone calls locally. In other words, no 5¢ for unlimited time when calling within 8 miles or so. I’m not sure what this proves, besides the government in the UK is a bunch of cheap bastards who’d seem likely to not allow 1-800/888/887/etc numbers as well. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/5 "1999-07-01T20:58:00Z")
i think the UK **does** have a similar service. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 1999, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/6 "1999-07-07T06:35:00Z")
The UK definitely has toll-free numbers, but they’re not “800” numbers. I believe, but am not certain, that all 0845 numbers are toll-free in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 1999, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/7 "1999-07-07T22:29:00Z")
Does the telecommunications restrictions seem a little bit too much, we are a free country so what is wrong with toll free numbers? Restrictions what restrictions sure its free is this to blame or just too dog gone stubborn? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 1999, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/8 "1999-07-07T23:33:00Z")
Okay, now I’m curious. Which company pioneered the idea of toll-free calling? Did a private buisness come up with the idea, or was the the phone company the first to think of it? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 1999, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/9 "1999-07-08T04:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The UK definitely has toll-free numbers, but they’re not “800” numbers. They are, in fact, 800 numbers. The only difference is they are preceded by 0 rather than 1. > [@](#): > > From what I understand, in the UK, the phone company (I think there’s only one, but I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong) also doesn’t allow for fixed rate phone calls locally. In other words, no 5¢ for unlimited time when calling within 8 miles or so. This is correct, all calls even locally are charged by the minute. As you can imagine this makes internet access from the home somewhat problematic. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 1999, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/10 "1999-07-08T16:11:00Z")
Remember that the first requirement for “800” numbers is an area code system and an empty 800 area code. Not all countries use the fixed aaa-eee-nnnn system of North America – in fact, I don’t believe any country outside of North America does. Most countries don’t even have fixed-length numbers. Historically, 800 numbers started as an extension to Wide-Area Telephone Service (WATS), a business offering that basically gave large companies a flat-rate price for unlimited long distance – if you paid $_x_ per month, you’d have unlimited long distance for, say, all of New York State, or the entire east coast, or the entire USA. 800 numbers are (or were) sold as “Inward WATS”. It used to be that companies had separate 800 numbers for their home state and for the rest of the country, but that seems to have vanished. * * * John W. Kennedy “Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.” – Charles Williams ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 1999, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/11 "1999-07-09T02:01:00Z")
1-800 numbers we developed by an ATT scientist, so they have been around for quite awhile… Come to think of it, it doesn’t make sense that other countries around the world haven’t followed this? ``` But this doesn't rule out that other ``` countries don’t have toll free numbers I think someone said? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 1999, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/12 "1999-07-10T22:32:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \>The UK definitely has toll-free numbers, but \>they’re not “800” numbers. > They are, in fact, 800 numbers. The only difference is they are preceded by 0 rather than 1. They are definitely not _all_ 800 numbers. I have an example of an 0845 number which is toll-free. (I would tell you the number but it is automatically forwarded to the US and my company pays the bill, so publicizing it is undesirable) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 1999, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/13 "1999-07-12T01:38:00Z")
What’s your point Galt? They aren’t _all_ 800 numbers in the US either. * * * Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 1999, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/14 "1999-07-12T01:53:00Z")
No, but they are all given an easy to notice area code such as 800, then 888, then 887 or something that lets you know right off the bat that the number is toll free. I guess they’re running out of 800 numbers. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 1999, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/15 "1999-08-10T07:23:00Z")
Correct we are running out of 800 numbers we are running out of 888 numbers and 887 numbers. After all those are gone 886, 885, 884, 883. & 882 and 881 have been reserved for toll free. Correct again North America has 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX system other countries like Guam and Northern Marianas that are or were part of the USA also have it. That is why we have the area code mess now. We cannot easily change phone numbers to having 8 numbers like other countries can ---
**Author:** ![torq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@torq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torq)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 1999, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/16 "1999-08-10T18:52:00Z")
I think the alternate toll-free codes are 877, 866, etc. and not 887, 886, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 1999, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/17 "1999-08-10T22:27:00Z")
You are correct sir. And I am a PBX manager I wrote them wrong. They are 877,866,855,844,833,822 sorry for this error. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/18 "2000-01-09T03:16:00Z")
my point in mentioning that the UK toll-free numbers aren’t all 800 numbers is that they’re not even referred to as “800” numbers (or “0800” numbers), since it’s common for them to have other prefixes. In my experience dealing with brits, when you say “800 number” they say “huh?”. If you say “toll-free number” they know what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Melatonin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@Melatonin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melatonin)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/19 "2000-01-09T22:43:00Z")
Random interlude. . . When I was bumming around the country (the country here indicating the U.S.A.) I distinctly recall having to bum a quarter from someone in order to dial my father’s 1-800 number. (Non-sequitor, just as relevant as the last) There are some areas in the US that do not allow a fixed rate for local calls. Chicago and Chicagoland is/are one/some of them. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980/20 "2000-01-10T02:30:00Z")
I read through the thread and still don’t know what the question is. If the question is why some countries don’t have toll-free numbers, well, which countries? No specific country has been mentioned so far. If the question is why different countries use different area codes for toll free service - well, why would they use the same one? Each country has different numbering systems - different number of digits for area codes, even variable length area codes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-numbers/5980.md?page=2)