Here on the blog we talk a lot about how to use your 800 number and the benefits of an 800 number…we thought we’d lighten it up this week. Here are some random 800 number facts that were in the news recently:

• People make money off of 800 number misdials. According to MSN, people are now buying toll free numbers just for this purpose.

• In Fayetteville, AR you can pay your parking meter by phone. Simply call 1-888-450-PARK, give them your space number and credit card info. Beats trying to find a quarter.

• You can find out the status of your tax return by calling the IRS’s toll free number.

• Massachusetts is offering a free two-week supply of nicotine patches to veterans through 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

What other interesting stories are we missing here?

There’s been a lot of talk about number porting the past two weeks with Google’s announcement that they will begin doing so for Google Voice users. This is exciting news for individuals using Google Voice and it’s great for us because it brings headlines to a feature that we often forget to talk about!

Most people know that Grasshopper has toll free and local numbers available to buy but they might not know we also have the ability to transfer numbers, also called number porting.

Why port your number?

For businesses that already have a phone number, it can be much easier to transfer it than to get a new one. You don’t have to change your contact info, create new marketing materials, print new business cards, modify your website, etc. Porting your number can save you time and money (two extremely valuable things).

Can I port toll free numbers?

You sure can. Port toll free numbers and the majority of local numbers (check here to see if you can port your local number). Plus, you have all rights to the number. Your phone number will always be yours, even if you decide to change providers.

How much does it cost?

Grasshopper charges a $30 one-time fee to port in your number. However, for those signed up on the Grow or Max plans, number porting is included.

Be sure to check out our FAQ page or Support section for more info on number porting.

Learn more about the differences between Grasshopper & Google Voice.

For customers that pre-ordered 855 numbers, we will use the same process to obtain your number this Saturday. For those who are waiting to purchase 855 numbers, they will be available on our site to purchase in roughly a week (pending any further delays).

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call support at 800-820-8210.

A few weeks ago we let you know that 855 numbers were set to be released in October. Today we can officially announce that we will begin taking 855 reservations.

How Can I Reserve a Number?

At midnight on October 2nd, the Grasshopper team will be working with our number carrier to reserve specific 855 numbers for our customers before they become available to the general public.

For $650, Grasshopper will make sure your number is included on our reservation list. If we are unable to obtain your specific number, you will be refunded $600.

We will notify you within 3 days (of October 2nd) as to the status of your reservation & if acquired, your number will be ready to go within 7 business days.

Grasshopper customers will have the option to pay via credit card while non-customers must pay by check. Payment must be received by September 16th in order to secure your reservation.

While there is no guarantee that we will get every number, this is the best opportunity for those looking to get high-demand vanity numbers.

If you don’t need to be first in line or are simply looking for a standard 855 number they will be available to the general public on Oct 15th.

Reserve Your 855 Number Now!

This is the first time in 10 years that a toll free prefix has been released (866 numbers debuted in 2000) and will result in around 7 million new numbers! This presents a rare and phenomenal opportunity to businesses looking to get a new or better vanity number.

New Vanity Numbers!

Vanity numbers (ex: 1-800-MATTRESS) are a great tool most often used for business. Mainly because a simple thing like a phone number can actually have a pretty significant impact:

• Improved brand recognition
• Increased call volume
• Increases sales & ROI

Think about it, we’re all familiar with numbers like 1-800-Contacts, 1-800-Flowers or 1-888-Best-Buy. These numbers are easy to remember and they describe the business. These are the types of numbers companies would love to have but are all taken…until now. 855 numbers present a whole new opportunity.

Getting an 855 Number

The current buzz around 855 numbers tells us that there’s probably going to be a pretty high demand for these numbers, especially companies looking to secure the 855 version of their current number.

While no one can actually take 855 number reservations yet, we are working toward a solution that will allow our customers to get the number they want. First though, we need to know how many people are interested.

If you are interested in reserving an 855 number, please go to our 855 Number Request page and provide us with your name & email address. We will be providing more information to those interested in the coming weeks.

I’m interested in 855 Numbers!

In today’s economy, it’s important to make your business seem like number one. That means as a small 1-5 person business, you need to look and sound as professional as the big guys. An 800 number can not only help you sound bigger but can also make life easier for everyone. Here are seven reasons your small business should have an 800 number:

1. An 800 number centralizes your business. Even if your employees are located in five different states, you still only need one number.

2. It’s easier for customers to remember your number, especially when you use vanity numbers (think 1-800-Flowers).

3. Customers are more likely to call an 800 number simply because it’s free!

4. You own your 800 number. Change businesses, locations, etc…the number is still yours.

5. They are easily transferable. Your business has grown tenfold and you need a bigger phone system but you don’t want to have to change your number. Good news, you don’t have to! Take it with you.

6. Every number comes with a flexible plan based on your need for minutes and features. Just want to reserve a number? For $9.95 a month you can get the number you want and hold onto it.

7. 800 numbers provide you with a variety of helpful features like call forwarding, voicemail, and unlimited extensions. As your business grows, so does your phone system.

An 800 number is a valuable asset and can give your small business the professional look and feel it needs. Have more questions? Check out our FAQ or call customer support 24/7at 1-800-820-8210.

Here at Grasshopper we get a lot of questions from people who want an 800 number but they aren’t sure about the specifics. To help, we’ve included five of the most frequently asked questions below. Have a question that isn’t on here? Feel free to leave a comment or contact our awesome customer support team 24/7 (800-820-8210).

1. You have 888 numbers listed. Are they the same as 800?

   888, 877, 866 and 800 numbers are all toll free prefixes that work exactly the same way. A number with an “800″ prefix is simply called a “true” 800 number.

2. Can I buy an 800 number from another company and use it with Grasshopper?

   We know how important a phone number can be to your business and that’s why we try to make transferring numbers easy. You can transfer any toll free number to Grasshopper, ensuring marketing materials, contact infor, etc won’t have to be changed.

   We do ask that you allow up to three (3) weeks for transferring. The number will not be transferred before all of the necessary paperwork is submitted and verified complete.

3. So, if I get an 800 number do I own it or does Grasshopper?

   Once an 800 number has been assigned to you, you’ll have ownership of it. If you decide to change service providers, you must have the 800 number transferred before canceling your service.

4. Can I get a custom 800 number?

   Yes! Custom toll free numbers are called “vanity numbers” and we do offer them. Examples of vanity numbers include 1-800-Flowers or 1-888-BestBuy. You can search for and reserve a vanity number instantly online during signup. Vanity numbers can take up to a week to activate and require a $30 one-time fee. Don’t see what you want? Contact our customer support team and they may be able to help.

5. What if I just want to secure a number but I don’t need any minutes yet?

   With the new Pay As You Grow plan, you can reserve your 800 number for only $9.95 per month. Any minutes you use will simply be charged to your account. No minutes, no extra charges!

An 800 number can help your small business stay professional and sound connected. Get yours today!

We all know toll free numbers have become a staple in business communication over the past 35 years. However, as more and more people buy them, the less numbers there are for new businesses.

As a way to ensure toll free numbers remain available, the FCC intermittently releases new toll free prefixes based on demand. In 1996, 888 numbers were released, in 1998, 877 numbers were released and most recently, in 2000, 866 numbers were released.

Release of the 855 Prefix

The latest news indicates that 855 prefixes are the next to be released, meaning over 7 million new toll free numbers will be available to our customers. While there is no set date for this, the announcement is positive for companies looking to acquire toll free numbers and especially for those looking to purchase vanity numbers.

Grasshopper will keep you up to date on any new developments regarding 855 numbers. In the meantime, if you have any questions about toll free numbers, local numbers or the Grasshopper virtual phone system, please feel free to contact us 24/7 at 800-820-8210.

When you start a business there are obviously a number of things you need to think about. One of these things is your phone system. While it may seem fine to start with your cell phone, eventually you will want to expand, have a dedicated number, hire employees and so on. Using your personal cell phone probably isn’t going to work for long.

What is it you will really need though? A big expensive PBX system? An extra phone line? A virtual phone system is a low cost solution that may be exactly what you need.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing your phone system & plan:

Phone Numbers

Your phone number is the first thing to consider and hopefully will stay with you as your business grows. Your phone number will be how your customers communicate with you.

• Do you need a phone number or do you already have one?

  If you already have a toll free number (or local), Grasshopper offers number transfers (or number porting). At sign up, simply choose the ‘Transfer an existing number’ option. It’s easy and you won’t have to worry about updating business cards or marketing materials.

• Do you want a toll free number for your business?

  Toll free numbers can have an extremely positive impact on small businesses. It not only helps you look more professional to customers and potential customers but also has proven to elicit more calls from customers than a traditional number.

• What kind of toll free number?

  There are three main types of toll free numbers out there – True 800 numbers, general 800 numbers and vanity numbers. True 800 numbers contain the “800″ prefix, general 800 numbers include 888, 866 and 877, and vanity numbers spell out your product or business name. Here are some tips on choosing a toll free number.

Office Space

Have a home office? Work from the road? Have a co-working space? The great thing about a virtual phone system is that no matter where you work, you can have your business number forwarded to any number on any phone.

If you are often out of the office, it makes a lot of sense to have a virtual number. Anytime a potential customer calls, you won’t have to worry about missing the call because you can simply forward it to your cell phone. Receive a voicemail? The voice mail will be emailed to you, ensuring that you can listen to it or read it (with the Read Your Voicemail feature) at any time.

Additional Extensions

When you start a business, you intend to grow, make money, hire employees, etc. When thinking about your phone system, determine if you are going to need to add extensions. (Note – all Grasshopper plans offer unlimited extensions).

• How many employees do you have?

  If you have employees, you are probably going to want to give them their own extension with their own voice mail box. More importantly, if your employees are not located in the same place, it is even more important that they be able to have their own extension that can be forwarded to their phone.

• Do you have a sales or support team?

  If so, consider creating extensions dedicated to those departments. This way, when a call comes in, you know exactly what it is in regards to. Are you the sales and support team? By creating specific extensions, you will know what the call is about as it comes in, allowing you to mentally prepare before you even answer.

Minutes

This is probably the biggest factor when choosing your actual virtual phone system plan. For most 1-2 person operations, a plan with a large number of minutes probably isn’t going to be necessary. However, maybe you have a partner in another city, do a lot of cold calling, or the majority of your meetings are done over the phone.

You also need to factor in how many employees you have. How often are they on the phone? Do they speak with clients? Is there a sales or support team that is constantly taking calls? If so, a plan with more minutes will be necessary.

A virtual phone system is a great option for small businesses and Grasshopper offers three plans to fit your needs.

Here are a few common facts about 800 numbers that you may not know.

• A “true” 800 number is simply a toll free number with an “800″ prefix.

• You own your 800 number.

• 800 numbers are portable. If you change service providers, you can take your 800 number with you.

• 800 numbers that spell out a company name, product, etc are called “vanity numbers”.

• 800 numbers have been around for over 35 years.

• 800 numbers are regulated by the FCC.

• 800, 888, 866 & 877 are all toll free numbers. The only difference is the numbers themselves.

• 800 numbers can be used for home numbers as well as business numbers.

• 855, 844, 833, and 822 numbers have been reserved to be used as toll free numbers in the future.

• AT&T paid over $1.32 million to acquire the vanity number 1-800-YELLOWPAGES (* wiki)

An 800 number is a great way to make your small business sound professional for a low cost. Get an 800 number along with all the great features of the Grasshopper virtual phone system.

But if you are wondering just how a toll free number can help your business, we have listed 3 key benefits to toll free numbers:

1. Professionalism

As anyone familiar with Grasshopper knows, one of our brand promises is to help entrepreneurs sound professional. A toll free number not only helps your small business look big, but it also helps it look (and of course sound) professional.

Would you feel more comfortable buying from a business with a standard voicemail message or a company with a dedicated business number and professional greeting?

2. Consistency

As your business grows, you may realize that your cell phone just isn’t cutting it anymore. You need a dedicated phone number and an actual phone system for your business. Extensions, voicemail, call forwarding, etc.

Do you really want to have to switch your number because your business is succeeding? You’d have to change business cards, social profiles, websites and marketing materials, all costing you time and money.

With a toll free number you never have to worry about changing your phone number. Toll free numbers are portable and can be transferred to any service you choose. They also can grow as your business grows. Are you a one person operation? You can have your toll free number forwarded to your phone. As you become larger and add employees, you just have to add extensions. You never have to worry about changing your number.

3. Cost

Toll free numbers are affordable for you and your customers. You can get a toll free number with a virtual pbx service for as low as $9.95 month. That includes all the great features we touched on above (call forwarding, extensions, voice mail, on-hold music & more). That’s less than $120 for your business over the course of a year!

As for your customers, they aren’t charged for calling you regardless of how long it takes to solve their problem.

Toll free numbers are a cost-effective way to help your business sound professional, project a strong brand and help your customers reach you.

Most of us are familiar with big names like 1-800-FLOWERS, 1-800-CONTACTS or 1-800-MATTRESS but there are so many other numbers out there, creative ones. Since it’s Friday we thought we’d have a little fun and show some of the lesser known 800 numbers out there.

Here are 5 of our favorite 800 numbers:

• 800-Giant-Men

  The Gentle Giant moving company sure knows how to grab our attention.

• 800-Virus-No

  McAfee makes it known just what their product does. Backwards but you still get the point.

• 800-Junk-USA

  College Hunks Hauling Junk found just the right 800 number. Unless of course they used 800-Junk-Hunks

• 800-44-Store

  Public Storage may not have gotten the exact vanity number they were looking for but you get the point and it’s easy to remember.

• 800-905-Geek

  Geeks on Call can help you get your computer or IT issues fixed in a hurry. More importantly, they aren’t afraid to admit they are geeks and their 800 number proves it.

What other 800 numbers out there stand out in your head?

Setting up call forwarding for your 800 (or local) number is easy through your online account manager.

We have broken it down into 3 simple steps:

1. Login to your Grasshopper account, choose “Settings“

2. Under Settings, choose “Call Forwarding“

3. Choose “Add Number” & Put in the desired forwarding number (click image to see full size)

That’s it!

Those simple steps are all it takes to forward your 800 number with our virtual phone system. Easy huh?

Once you put in the number, or numbers (yes, you can forward calls to more than one number), you can choose your call forwarding settings:

• Forwarding Schedule (Set specific times)

• Call Announce

• Direct Connect

• Call Screening

• PBX Connect

• Caller ID (Show your callers # or your Grasshopper #)

Along with 800 number forwarding there are a ton of other great features with the Grasshopper virtual phone system including unlimited extensions, custom greetings and voice mail transcription. Check it out and be sure to contact our 24/7 support with any questions you may have.

Toll free numbers can be extremely valuable to a business when they are looking to project a professional image, sound bigger or just give their customers an easy phone number to remember. 800, 888, 877 and 866 numbers from Grasshopper have helped tens of thousands of small businesses grow over the past six years and will continue to do so in the future.

How do I choose the right toll free number for my business?

Vanity Numbers

Everyone wants a number like 1-800-Flowers or 1-800-Mattress but it turns out that many of these numbers are taken. That doesn’t mean you should give up. Here are a couple of things to think about in choosing a vanity number:

• “What keywords best represent your business?” Think of a few to search for.
• “What number will be easy for customers to remember?”
• “Can the number grow with my business?” Don’t pigeonhole yourself into a niche if you plan on growing your business beyond that product/service.

When selecting a vanity number, try a variety of keywords until you find what best fits your business. If you have a specific request let us know and we can try to help you locate it.

True 800 Numbers

When people hear “toll free number” they automatically think of the “800″ prefix. These are called “True 800 Numbers”.

If you aren’t looking for a specific vanity number but would prefer having the “800″ prefix there are plenty available through Grasshopper. A True 800 number is a great way to help your business sound professional.

General Toll Free Numbers

866, 877 & 888 are the most common toll free prefixes outside of the 800 number we are all familiar with.

If you are simply looking for a general toll free number for your business, this is certainly the way to go. Any of these prefixes will provide you with a toll free number that helps your business project a larger image.

Choosing a toll free number shouldn’t be difficult but it should be given some thought. Grasshopper offers each of the toll free numbers mentioned above and searching for them is easy. We want your business to succeed and a toll free number combined with the Grasshopper virtual phone system will definitely help you stay connected and sound more professional.

*If you already have a toll free number, we also offer number portability.

“How do I dial a vanity number on my Blackberry?”

If you don’t know what a vanity number is, it is a custom phone number (toll free or local) that spells out a particular word. Here are a few examples:

• 1-800-Flowers
• 1-800-Contacts
• 1-888-BestBuy

So, how exactly do you go about dialing a vanity number on your Blackberry?

Well you could try to figure out what letter corresponds to what number, or you could simply hold down the ALT key. That’s it!

By holding down the ALT key, you can dial every letter on the keyboard, spelling out any number you need, including your Grasshopper vanity number!

Here are five features that our customers love and take Grasshopper above and beyond:

1. Call Forwarding

Stay connected. That is one of the mottos here and it is one of the main reasons our customers use Grasshopper. Have calls forwarded to any number in the world. Your cell phone, home phone, office phone, the pay phone down the street (we don’t necessarily recommend that but hey, it can be done). The call forwarding feature is easy to use and helps you stay connected to your small business.

2. Toll Free Numbers

One of the goals here at Grasshopper is to help entrepreneurs and small businesses sound more professional. A toll free number is a great way to do that. With a toll free number and the Grasshopper virtual phone service you can have a one person outfit or a hundred person outfit and no one would know the difference. We have toll free numbers, true 800 numbers and vanity numbers.

3. Unlimited Extensions

We want our customers to be successful and with unlimited extensions they can do just that without having to change their entire phone system. Grasshopper offers unlimited phone/voice mail extensions with every plan for no extra charge. The best part is, every extension comes with voice mail, call forwarding, away greetings and more.

4. Voice Studio

Have you ever heard the sound of your voice after being recorded and thought you couldn’t possibly sound like that? Are you comfortable recording your main business greeting? Grasshopper offers professional voice talents to help our customers sound more professional and not have to worry about what their voice sounds like. You can have greetings recorded in English, French and Spanish.

5. Read Your Voicemail

This is the newest feature of the Grasshopper virtual PBX and it has been extremely well received. Every time someone leaves a voice mail, an email will be sent to your computer and/or Smart phone with the voice mail transcribed for you. In a meeting? Can’t take the call or listen to your voice mail? With the read your voicemail feature you won’t miss any important messages.

What are your favorite features? What would you like to see from Grasshopper?

To make it a little more clear, we have answered a few of the most common questions in regards to toll free numbers:

• Which numbers are considered toll free?

  800, 866, 877 & 888 prefixes are all considered “toll free” phone numbers for the U.S. and Canada.

• What is the difference between 800, 866, 877 and 888 numbers?

  Nothing. Each of the prefixes are treated the exact same way for toll free numbers.

• Why are there so many different toll free number prefixes?

  800 numbers were introduced in 1967 and as more and more businesses claimed them, the available numbers simply ran out. To meet demand, the FCC released 888 and 877 numbers and eventually 866 numbers in 2000.

• Can I still get an “800″ prefix?

  Grasshopper does in fact offer “true” 800 numbers to our customers. Check out the features page.

Have other questions or thoughts on toll free numbers? Leave a comment!