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Local vs Toll Free
By Bill Quimby on September 26, 2023
I started TollFreeNumbers.com almost 30 years ago and have been one of the most fervent advocate for toll free numbers in the country, but I have to admit that local numbers are definitely much more viable than they used to be. For many businesses they offer an excellent alternative or even a superior alternative!
Toll Free Numbers came out before people even knew you had to dial a 1 before an area code. That’s why they were advertised as “1-800!” Today everyone used to dialing area codes even for local numbers. 90% of your customers have overlay area codes, and the whole world is used to new area codes everywhere.
Maybe even more importantly, with the proliferation of cell phones, all with unlimited long distance, the whole idea of phone calls costing anything has almost completely vanished. There are other benefits of toll free numbers, but the benefit of more vanity local numbers being available can outweigh the secondary benefits of toll free for a lot of businesses.
When people ask me do they need a 1-800 number, I have always said you know what you want but you take what you can get, meaning if you can get the right message in a “1-800” number go for it, but if you can’t, don’t be afraid to take another toll free area code. Today that really has to be extended to local area codes too. I include local area code matches in the toll free search results, because they are a real alternative for businesses today. And if you can’t get the right message or term in a toll free number, you have to consider the local versions of it.
That’s why in 2023, the founder of TollFreeNumbers.com is now building LocalVanityNumbers.com too. I honestly think there’s way more potential for customers today in local numbers. And if you project these trends into the future, toll free numbers aren’t disappearing, but local vanity numbers are going to continue to grow in use and value, not just for local businesses but all businesses!
We've helped tens of thousands of customers get great numbers over the past 25+ years
“I just didnt believe that I could actually get 800 number that well fitted my exiting local number. my regular phone company said that it is impossible to get 800 and they kept offering me with 855 number. AND all the setup was complete within a week. your emails were very self explanatory Thank you”
Prabhakaran Sinnathamby
“TollFreeNumbers.com made it super easy to get a custom toll free number for my business at an affordable price. They also helped us find a carrier so we could get up and running quickly. Great customer service and highly recommended.”
Tommy Mierzwinski
Oakland, CA
“When I found your company I was very naive about how to go about getting a vanity number. I surfed a number of websites before I came across yours and your straightforward tell-it-like-it-is style of explaining the service you offer (in a field full of complicated jargon) really connected with me. Not to say I wasn't skeptical about what the outcome would be. However, you did exactly what you said you were going to do and the communication was very clear throughout the process. When the number you found for me came out of disconnect and you emailed at just past midnight to say that I had gotten it I was really amazed! Companies such as yours are such a rare find these days. I can't imagine why anyone would go anywhere else if they need a vanity number. I'll be back for more and certainly recommending you to others. Thanks for such a great job!”
Neil Darragh
Naples, FL