How Do Toll Free Numbers Work?

A toll-free number in its mechanics is simply a call-forwarding system that reverses charges to the called party. When you dial a toll-free number, here’s what happens.
When you dial the number, the Service Switch Point (SSP) in the phone network recognizes it as a toll-free number by its prefix – 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 855. It then sends a query to the Service Control Point (SCP) where the routing instructions for that particular number are kept. The call is then routed where it’s supposed to go, and the cost of the call is assigned to the appropriate account (that of the holder of the toll-free number) and billed according to the terms of the agreement setting up the toll-free service.
Of course, unless you’re a telephone technician or engineer or just a plain geek, that’s not really all that important, right? The important thing is that toll-free numbers let customers call your company at your expense instead of theirs. That encourages them to call you, makes you look professional, and is proven to increase your phone traffic, which in turn can increase your sales.
A toll-free number can also be turned into a custom toll free number that’s especially easy to remember since it incorporates a word or words that relate to your business. A custom toll-free number can also be made the centerpiece of your advertising and marketing – and should. It can appear in your online ads, your email signature, your letterhead, and every piece of advertising that hits the world about your company, giving people a quick and easy way to pick up the phone and contact you for the products or services that you provide (at no cost to them, needless to say).