What are the numbers 1-877?
Do you want to know more about the numbers 877? The biggest mistake about 1-877 numbers is that if you call the same number with 1-800, you will get the same company. However, this is not the case at all. Toll free numbers with different area codes are for completely independent businesses.
What is sometimes so confusing is when multiple companies choose the same custom number, but with different prefixes, including 866, 877, 800, or 888. You may think you are calling a lawyer in your city, but if you dial the wrong prefix, you can get a totally different person across the country.
Like their 800 cousins, 877 numbers are completely free for the customer to dial. Along with that, they provide many benefits to the end user, such as ease of use, affordability, and a sense of professionalism.
Let’s back up a bit to learn more about these friendly digits. Toll free numbers actually date back to the 1960s, but their purpose was very different from today. The toll-free number was initially created as a way to reduce the use of telephone operators. The process was also created to offer customers more options instead of collect calls.
Along with that, they were normally controlled by the major phone companies. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the FCC helped consumers gain more influence in this area and keep their 800 numbers even if phone services changed.
Later, 800 numbers associated with vanity phrases became very popular. This new recognition fostered the need for more than 800 prefixes. That’s when additional area codes like 877 (circa 1998) appeared on the scene.
As businesses and the global economy grew, the need for more area codes has never been more urgent. In addition, longer vanity characters were also requested. The newer free prefixes, such as 866 and 877, became highly sought after for their broader and longer vanity selections.
Some of the area code digits can be swapped for alphabetic letters, while standard 800 numbers cannot. For example, with an 877 or 866 area code, you may have the vanity number 1-US-RENOVATIONS.
Personalized numbers, even with the toll-free 1-877 prefix, attract marketers. First, they offer more vanity options, which stick in the minds of consumers more than phone numbers of numerical value. Also, like any toll-free number, they are easier to call, have brand benefits, and can increase response rates.
A toll-free number with an 877 area code is yours forever. Even if you move, you can keep the exact same number. The same applies to the other prefixes as well. In the old days, a company that moved used to lose customers.
Even today, communicating your new information is challenging. You can send as many “we’ve moved” e-mails or reminders and still get missed calls. Email can be hijacked by spam filters and anything that even resembles “junk mail” in your normal mailbox is usually thrown away. In a classic way, people have viewed 800 numbers as an asset.
All in all, today an 877 number is like any other toll-free line, but you can get more vanity options.