Instantly setup and manage toll free numbers around the world and forward calls to your personal number. You can activate any toll free number you want, and we help you to sort them by location. Once you choose a number, you can configure it in seconds to complete the setup process.
Here is how toll free call forwarding works:
Choose a Toll Free Number
Search for toll free numbers around the world and activate one in a region of your choice for $5.00 USD. You will continue to be billed monthly for each toll free number until you release them or your account balance becomes insufficient to renew the number.
- Activate new toll free numbers instantly.
- Replace employee extensions with personal numbers.
- Forward Calls and SMS
- Optional Caller ID
- Pay Per Use Billing
Note that Toll-Free numbers are only able to support SMS messages and are unable to forward MMS messages.
Setup Toll Free Call Forwarding
After activating a new toll free number with SMS Arc, you can configure the number to setup toll free call forwarding for the number. To enable call forwarding, you will need to select the Enable Inbound Calls option under the Call Settings area.
When inbound calls are enabled for your toll free number, you will be asked to provide the phone number to forward all inbound calls received by your new number. Once you configure your toll free number, you can call it to test that it is working correctly - it will begin working instantly after you set it up.
Pay as You Go Toll Free Call Forwarding
After your monthly activation fee for any toll free number that you have active, you will charged based on your exact usage. This means that when you are using SMS Arc to handle SMS Forwarding or Toll-Free call forwarding, you will be billed for only what you use. We offer automatic pricing discounts for high volume callers or call centres with multiple toll free numbers.
- As low as $0.0005 per forwarded SMS.
- Starting at $0.0265 / minute of Call Forwarding.
- Full pricing details here
- 1 Costs are subject to additional carrier fees calculated upon transmission.
- 2 All text messages are charged per 160 character segment.
Toll Free Call Forwarding FAQ
If you have questions about setting up Toll Free Call forwarding with SMS Arc, we are ready to help. Contact support or take a look at our frequently asked questions about our call forwarding and toll free numbers.
What is Toll Free Call forwarding used for?
Toll Free Call Forwarding is used for many purposes ranging from protecting your personal number to helping customers connect with you without paying long distance fees.
You can use Toll Free Call Forwarding to help you receive customer phone calls for your business, protect your personal number.
With a toll free number for each employee or department, you can use toll free call forwarding to direct inbound calls to the correct party and replace conventional phone number extensions.
There are many possible uses for call forwarding. With a toll free number, you allow your customers to call you without paying excessive long distance fees from their cellular provider.
How long does it take to activate a number?
All toll free phone numbers are activated instantly. You can configure and begin receiving forwarding calls within moments of creating your free account.
How much does Call Forwarding cost?
You will only be charged for your actual usage, meaning that each call forwarded will be billed for each minute that the call is connected. The exact cost per minute will depend on the carrier and location of the caller. Starting at $0.0265 per minute.
Don't need a toll free number? You can activate a local number with SMS Arc in an area of your choosing. Callers outside of this area will be charged for long distance, unlike with a toll free number. Local calls are also charged per minute, starting at $0.0102 per minute ‐ cheaper than with toll free numbers.
To avoid further charges associated to call Forwarding, you can disable Calling capabilities within the number configuration page. When you set the Call settings of the number to Disable Inbound Calls to block all further incoming calls and avoid any further charges to your account balance from this number. If you are receiving unsolicited calls, you can release the number and activate a new local or toll free number at anytime.
How many toll free numbers can I activate?
You can activate as many toll free numbers as you require for your company or project. You can configure each toll free number independently of each other, allowing you to setup numbers for a different purposes or employees, and within geographical areas central to your customers.
Can my toll free number receive SMS?
Yes. All of our toll free numbers support SMS forwarding allowing you to receive messages from your customers. However, toll free numbers do not support MMS. If you need to receive SMS with attachments, you will need to activate a local number.
What is a Toll Free number
If you have ever needed to get hold of a business you have most likely called a toll free number associated with the service. A toll free number is a distinct three digit code that can be reached via landline or mobile device at long distance and no charge to the caller. However, this does not exempt usage of minutes for a caller using a mobile device. Toll free numbers are most commonly used to get a hold of customer service representatives. They are often the first line of service when reaching a business. In some cases, you are even able to text a toll free number if the business has that feature enabled.
Some toll free numbers may connect you to automated messages while others may have a human representative on the other line. If you are trying to get in touch with a business or organization you are at some point going to find their toll free number as part of their primary contact information.
Types of Toll Free Numbers:
800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833 are the most common 3-digit codes used for toll free numbers.
However, these codes are not interchangeable.
This means, like any phone number, all the digits in the toll free number must be an exact match to reach your desired recipient.
You cannot switch out the toll code for any other one and expect to reach the same business even if the rest of the numbers are correct.
Do I need a Toll Free Number for my business?
Toll free numbers are used by businesses to put you into contact with a customer service representative.
However, toll free numbers are also used as a distinguishing factor for a company's phone number.
One way this is achieved is by using a vanity number. A vanity number is a phone number that can be used to spell a phrase.
1-800-CALLNOW is the same as 1-800-225-5669 on any standard keypad, but using the phrase allows it to be more memorable in the caller's head.
This model can also be used to build mental associations between the business and their numbers.
In this sense, toll free numbers can be a valuable resource to advertise your company.
There are also other advantages to having a toll free number:
Strengthening Customer Relations - As any good business practitioner will know, keeping health customer relationships is important to running a successful business. One way to do this is by making yourself available to your client. Running a business from a local number may be practical for small start ups, but they can be very inconvenient and one dimensional as your client base begins to develop. A toll free number allows you to remain available for your client base internationally and even off business hours.
Diversify your Service Delivery - When businesses grow, they often require various branches to manage various client issues. After all, you wouldn't want one person answering all service calls. A toll free number is a good place to start for a customer when they require assistance for a specific issue. If the organization offers a variety of service departments, it will be able to enhance the service it gives to the customer.
Call Data Analysis - Analyzing call data to enhance customer service is done best when using a toll free number because of the nature of its accessibility. That is to say, if you can only analyze local calls, from a local number, you won't have the reach to analyze a larger sample of clients.
Recyclable - Often businesses may need to relocate to better develop. If this is the case, the business may want to opt into maintaining the same phone number in order to retain their clients. Unlike local numbers, toll free numbers can be reused by any organization because they are assigned by a governing body and not dependent on local area codes. This means a proprietor can move around freely without worrying whether clients will be able to reach them or not.