what is a toll free number

A toll-free number is a telephone number that can be dialed from landlines with no charge to the person placing the call. The recipient of the call, not the caller, pays for the call, although this depends on the provider. Toll-free numbers are identified by a dialing prefix similar to an area code, and they usually begin with one of the following three-digit codes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 833. Toll-free numbers are particularly common for customer-service calling, and they allow callers to reach businesses and individuals out of the area without being charged a long-distance fee for the call. Wireless callers may be charged for the airtime minutes used during a toll-free call unless they have an "unlimited calling" plan. Toll-free numbers are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Toll-free numbers can be attached to desk phones and landlines, forwarded to mobile phones, or used virtually through a VoIP system so that calls can be made or received on any device. Toll-free numbers are useful for businesses of all sizes, as they add legitimacy to a company and provide a free and convenient way for customers and prospects to contact businesses.