How Can I Get an 0800 Number to Grow My Business?

by Audrey Oh

Are you a small business owner looking for ways to grow your business? Freephone 0800 numbers offer a wide range of benefits to new and established businesses. They represent a great investment and are quick and easy to set up. Telecommunications are developing all the time. So, there are plenty of advanced features you can add to your phone service as your business grows, such as audio conferencing, fax to email and incoming call features. But how can a telephone number grow a business? Read our top tips for using 0800 numbers to boost your business.

Track Marketing Campaigns

0800 numbers allow you to track where high-converting leads are coming from. You can also identify where your advertising costs are failing to pull in warm leads and redirect your budget elsewhere. This could save you thousands of pounds and increase the number of good leads passed to your sales teams. 

Assign a unique virtual phone number to each marketing campaign. You’ll have a simple and effective method for identifying where your marketing spend is working best. When someone calls in using the unique number, you can link that lead to the specific campaign that triggered it. Restricting the budget for marketing activities that reap a significant ROI is a great way to support business growth.

 

Attract New Customers

By offering an 0800 number to your customers, you are helping your business to grow. Potential customers are much more likely to call a free number than one that charges them. 0800 numbers cost the caller nothing, whether they dial from a landline or a mobile phone. A higher call volume gives your sales teams more opportunities to sell, which could mean a significant boost to profits. If your competitors don’t offer potential customers free calls, you could also pull traffic away from them and towards you.

0800 numbers also make a small business look more professional and give them a national reach, which builds consumer trust. 

 

Make Your Business Number Memorable

In any industry, a business is likely to be up against multiple competitors offering similar services or products. 0800 numbers are much easier for people to remember than a random string of digits. So you stand a better chance of a prospect calling you. 

0800 numbers can increase the response rate for marketing campaigns because the prefix is instantly recognisable and memorable. 

 

Expand the Reach of Your Business

A business with an 0800 number could be anywhere as the prefix does not tie your company to any particular geographical location. If you’re keen to grow your business beyond the local area, an 0800 number can help you to establish a national reach. People are less likely to buy from a small company located miles away. An 0800 number suggests you have a successful company that spans the UK.

It also instils trust in your brand, as it shows you value your customers enough to provide a way for them to contact you without incurring a fee. Even if you’re running a business from your home study, an 0800 number can create the impression yours is a successful company that a consumer can purchase from with confidence.

 

Maintain Consistency and Trust

Consumers have a wealth of choices when it comes to choosing providers of services or goods. They are also constantly encouraged to switch and save. However, many customers remain loyal to a brand and are reluctant to change, whether it be phone providers, energy services or their favourite fashion store. After all, it’s human nature to trust in the familiar and consistent. 

An 0800 number helps you build familiarity and trust with customers. There’s no need to change numbers if you choose to relocate your business. Your customers need not even know there is any change occurring! Businesses often lose customers when they implement major changes due to concerns about interruptions or changes in service. With a free phone number, you can grow your business by moving into larger or better-located premises without losing contact with your customers.

 

Manage Fluctuations in Call Volume Effectively

When you leave customers or prospects on hold for more than a few minutes, they often become frustrated and hang up. With an 0800 number, you have complete control over how you manage your calls. Many virtual phone service providers will allow you to control how calls are directed online. You can change where your 0800 number is pointing to as required by call volumes, location of staff or your schedule. Customers who receive a positive service are much more likely to turn into repeat customers. 

You might also choose to add some advanced features to your 0800 service to help you deliver outstanding customer service. Features such as call forwarding, queuing and voicemail can help you to maintain the highest levels of service even at peak times. 

 

Avoid Service Disruptions

Nothing drives customers away quicker than major or repeated interruptions to service. Businesses using a traditional landline are vulnerable to faults and breaks in service that could make it impossible for customers or prospects to contact them. With an 0800 number, it’s easy to re-route calls to a device that is functioning if another fails. This means no break in service for the customer and higher levels of customer satisfaction.

 

How Can I Get an 0800 Number?

0800 numbers are a great way to grow your business. At City Numbers, it’s quick and easy to order a free phone number. Once your order is complete and payment is received, we can make your number live in minutes. Find out more and order your 0800 number today!  

Contact us to find out more about 0800 numbers and the additional services we can provide your business. We won’t lock you into a lengthy contract and our pricing structure is completely transparent with no hidden costs.

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Alternate Phone Numbers for Business


Landlines are susceptible to breaks in service, which cost your business money. A bad storm or a technical fault on the line could see you without a means to contact or be contacted by customers for days. A landline phone service can also prove costly and is unlikely to offer the range of features available with virtual telephone services. 

Thankfully, businesses no longer need to rely on a single landline number. But what alternate phone numbers are there and which are best for your business? The choices available can be overwhelming – toll-free, local rates, national, international local — where do you begin? 

We’ve put together a handy guide to the most popular types of phone numbers to help you choose the most suitable service for your small business. 

 

Why Choose a Virtual Number?

Before considering the types of virtual numbers available, it’s important to understand what virtual numbers are and how they can benefit your business. Virtual numbers are non-geographic numbers that allow you to direct calls to a preferred device, such as a mobile phone. You may choose to direct calls to one device during office hours and another outside these times. Unlike a traditional landline, the number is not tied to one specific device. 

Virtual numbers make it easy to re-route calls if there is a fault with a device, enabling you to stay in touch with actual and potential customers. You won’t lose business because your phone line is down. Virtual numbers are often part of VoIP systems, which offer a wide range of useful services hugely beneficial to a business, such as call queuing and recording. Additional benefits of virtual numbers include cost savings, number porting — and the ability to track marketing campaigns and boost your business’ brand. Learn more about virtual numbers here. 

 

Freephone Numbers (Toll-Free Numbers)

Freephone numbers such as “0800”, “0500” and “0808” are a great way to boost the reputation of your business and to encourage potential customers to call you. An “0800” number (the most common freephone number in the UK) will make your company appear professional with a national reach. Customers are also much more likely to pick up the phone and call you rather than a competitor if they know their call will be free. In 2015, Ofcom made “0800” numbers free to call from mobile phones, making them even more valuable to businesses.

With an “0800” number, there is no need to change your number (and all your marketing content) if you move location because freephone numbers are non-geographic. This helps small businesses to build a consistent brand that customers feel they can trust and rely on. 

Freephone numbers are especially useful for small businesses focussed on offering premium customer care and acquiring new business. The reason is, customers and leads can contact you without spending a penny. If you’re planning major marketing campaigns, an “0800” number can also increase response rates. 

You can also purchase international toll-free numbers if your business has — or aims to have — global reach.

 

Local Rate Phone Numbers

Local rate phone numbers such as “0845” and “0844” allow businesses to hide their geographic location. This is a great benefit — especially to small businesses — because they can present as a large, successful company with national reach. 

“0845” numbers also keep the cost of calls low for customers and potential customers, resulting in enhanced customer service and more sales. Companies and non-profit organisations can set a special rate for their “0845” number. This means they can cover the cost of calls — or even make a profit — if they receive a sufficiently high call volume. 

If you invest in an “0845” number, it’s yours for as long as you choose to use it.  It cannot be taken away from you. Local rate phone numbers are a great choice for businesses who want to offer advice or support services. They also encourage warm leads to get in touch, without footing the bill for a freephone number. So, “0845” numbers provide an affordable option for customers while helping you to keep business costs down.

 

National Rate Numbers

Numbers such as “0871” can establish a national reputation for your business and even turn a profit as customers pay a higher rate for their call (up to 13p per minute). 

If you wish to limit calls to support or helpline, so only essential queries are received, a national rate number is it a great choice. The additional costs attached to this type of number encourages customers to call only when necessary. The extra call fee will also subsidise the cost of providing this service. This feature may be especially useful if you offer out-of-hours support —  a national number will encourage customers to make contact during office hours.

As the number of businesses with remote employees increases, so does the popularity of national rate numbers. By passing the cost of call diversions on to the customer, you can keep costs down and boost profits. 

The UK regulator for premium-rate numbers, The Phone Paid Services Authority, has set eligibility rules and standards for the use of “0871” numbers. You must register with them before you can use a national rate number.

 

UK Virtual Numbers (Local Numbers)

UK virtual numbers, or local numbers, allow small businesses to build their brand reputation and reach target geographical locations — even if their premises are elsewhere.

For example, a heating company based in Newcastle may wish to target London with its advertising campaign. By purchasing a number with a London prefix, such as “0203” or “0207”, the company will increase the number of calls from people living in their target destination. As with all virtual numbers, calls can divert to any device. So potential customers who call the London number will reach the sales team in Newcastle.

Even established companies can benefit from this tactic as consumers tend to favour local companies or businesses with local branches. So a major brand could purchase a local number to extend its reach. 

 

Worldwide Virtual Numbers

Similar to the UK virtual numbers, worldwide numbers allow businesses to demonstrate a presence in a geographical location where they are not based. If your offices are in New York and you know customers in London will only buy from local companies, purchasing a worldwide virtual number can help to boost your brand in your target destination.

Another great benefit of international numbers is a small business can give the impression they have multiple offices in different countries — even if they are based in the UK. This makes your company appear established, successful and with global reach. 

If you’re considering branching out beyond the UK, an international number will allow you to test the waters in your chosen market before investing serious capital in expansion.

 

0300 Numbers

“0300” is a new number range introduced by Ofcom. This prefix is only available to public sector bodies and not-for-profit organisations. Find out if you’re eligible here. 

The phone number you choose for your small business can help you to keep costs down, boost profits, increase sales and enhance customer satisfaction levels. All of this will help you on the way to business success. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to alternate phone numbers for business. Consider how your business operates each day, your goals and your budget. 

If you’re still not sure which phone number type is right for your business, get in touch. Our friendly team of experts will be happy to help. We have over 20 years experience in the industry and we can supply, test and support numbers in many international locations.

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How to get a 0333 Number for Your Business

Introduced in 2007, the 0333 prefix is one of the newest additions to the business number arsenal. It is simply a non-geographic version of a standard landline number, such as an 01 or 02 phone number. 

The 0333 prefix was conceived and implemented by Ofcom. Its purpose was to ensure consumer confidence, making sure they knew what fees would be incurred when calling a business number that wasn’t targeted to a local region. At the time, popular alternatives like freephone 0800 numbers would incur fees if called from mobile, and there was a lack of information surrounding premium-rate lines. While that has since changed since 2015, it used to be a major problem and source of confusion. 

Despite the changes to 0800 numbers, 0333s are still rising in popularity. What are the benefits for your company and how do you acquire a 0333 number for your business?

Is an 0333 Number Right for Your Business?

There are numerous reasons to set up an 0333 number. These include:

  • Trusted: 0800 numbers are now universally freephone, but since the change is so recent, there is still mistrust surrounding them. Thousands of Google users still search the phone ‘0800 free from mobile’ every single month, looking for answers. This is mistrust is not shared by 0333, with ‘0333 free from mobile’ seeing only a handful of hits. Customers are just not as concerned about the potential for hidden fees when calling them.
  • Geographically Neutral: For some businesses, a lack of local targeting is important. Opting for a landline using 01 or 02 will give you a distinct geographical location, but 0333 numbers are nationally available, which means you don’t need to worry about where your business is based — or how you will be perceived by customers as a result.
  • Memorable: The repetitive nature of the 0333 number makes your business line memorable, an important element when it comes to increasing sales volume. 
  • Enhanced Customer Perception: 0333s are understood by customers to be numbers for business entities. Acquiring this prefix can give your brand a boost in authority by making it seem more professional than if you were to use a local landline.
  • Flexible: As your number is not geographically targeted, it can move with your business. Keep the same number wherever your growth takes you with an 0333 prefix. 
  • Encourage Calls: Customers are more likely to call a business with an 0333 prefix over normal landline numbers or premium-rate numbers. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including trust, cost, authority, memorability and more.

 

How to Get an 0333 Number for Your Business

Acquiring an 0333 number for your business is easy. Go to the right service provider and you’ll find an instant and reliable solution for your business needs. CityNumbers are experts in the provision of phone numbers for businesses, and that includes 0333 numbers. If you want to get an 0333 number for your business, this is all you have to do:

  • Visit our dedicated 0333 numbers page
  • Select the package that best suits your business needs
  • Follow the registration process, including selecting your 0333 number and establishing number forwarding

And you are done! 

It really is that simple. CityNumbers will have your new 0333 active within one hour of payment being processed, and then you are ready to offer customers your new number service. 

You don’t have to replace your phones, adapt hardware or contact your current service provider, either. Our innovative call forwarding technology means that when somebody calls your new 0333 number, it is automatically routed to your current phone system. 

When you use CityNumbers, the integration of an 0333 number is quick, easy and pain-free. 

 

How Much Does an 0333 Number Cost? 

Small businesses are often concerned about the costs of a dedicated prefix for their company. However, as the cost of the technology behind the 0333 number continues to fall, so too do the fees incurred for acquiring one.

At CityNumbers, we have three packages to suit varying business needs:

  • The Pay as You Go: With a small setup fee of £5 and a monthly standing charge of just £5, this package is highly cost-effective. Live call rates per minute are as low as 2.5p, making it perfect for small businesses with limited call volume, such as sole traders or micro-entities. 
  • The Business Starter: The Business Starter is great for small businesses. It also incurs a £5 setup fee with a charge of £20 per month on top. With that, you get 1,000 minutes as part of your service, with further minutes thereafter charged at 2.5p for landlines.
  • The Enterprise: Catering to companies that have already scaled and are looking for more, CityNumbers’ Enterprise Package costs £39 per month and includes free setup. It comes with 2,100 minutes of calls, with landline fees after that charged at 2p per minute. 

 

While these figures might be useful to know, you may be looking for a little more information as to how this relates to actual costs. Well, the average sales call lasts for around six minutes. That means, on the Enterprise package, you will pay just 10p per call. 

How Much Does It Cost to Call an 0333 Number?

Many brands are eager to keep costs down for their customers, especially when it comes to phone calls. 

With 0333 numbers, direct call costs are only incurred if the customer does not have an inclusive minutes package, in which case, charges can vary depending on the supplier. What is important to remember is that should a customer be charged to call an 0333, they’ll be charged for any landline call they make. This means they have likely opted for this kind of telephone service and it is unlikely to impact how they choose to interact with your company. 

So how much will it cost your customer to call an 0333 number should you adopt one? For near-all clients, the cost will be zero and inclusive of their phone contract, making it an attractive prefix for many businesses.

Now you know how to get an 0333 number for your business, do you think it’s time to buy a phone number for your company? The benefits of 0333 speak for themselves, so why wait any longer? CityNumbers has everything you need to support your communication goals!

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How to Buy a Toll-Free Number in the UK

Toll-free numbers, otherwise known as freephone numbers, are common among businesses in the United Kingdom. A landline number that enables customers to call your business free of charge, it is a powerful tool when it comes to encouraging direct communication with your brand. 

Already, this sounds like an opportunity your business probably wants to take advantage of. But how do you buy a toll-free number, and should you? Discover everything you need to know about acquiring toll-free numbers in the UK.

 

What Number Prefixes Are Toll-Free? 

In the UK, there is only one type of toll-free number prefix available for large-scale business operations: 0800. 

Ever since it was introduced in the 1980s, this freephone number prefix has seen ever-increasing use among businesses. Most notably, the commercial sector saw a massive surge in popularity for 0800 numbers in the early 00s, owed in part to their decreasing cost of entry and widening availability from suppliers. 

As accessibility went up, businesses were keen to offer this freephone prefix. The result of the 0800 popularity boom was that it killed off competitor prefixes, such as 0500 numbers.

 

Are Toll-Free Numbers Actually Free? 

In the UK, there used to be a lack of clarity around how freephone numbers worked. 

Freephone 0800 numbers were designed to be exactly that, free-of-charge at the point of use. Premium rate lines, however, such as 0844 numbers, would cost callers to use. 

This seemed to be clear cut in terms of fees, but it wasn’t. Up until 2015, a premium charge was often applied to 0800 calls from mobile devices. It was only when Ofcom moved to simplify British telecommunications that the numbers became universally free.

Why did this happen? Because 0800 prefix numbers were originally only freephone for landline calls when established decades ago — before mobiles were so commonplace — provider policy initially failed to catch up with changing consumer demand. The result was people didn’t understand if 0800 were actually freephone or not.

This is no longer the case. If you obtain an 0800 number for your business, you ensure that all customer calls to your company will be free of charge. 

 

How to Buy a Toll-Free Number

CityNumbers provides innovative solutions that support your business needs. All you have to do is go to our 0800 numbers page and select your package. Follow the simple setup, complete your number registration and that’s it, you’ve acquired a freephone number for your business.

At CityNumbers, we’re experts in providing businesses with phone number solutions. We make sure setup is easy, effective and, most importantly, reliable. When you buy a toll-free number from us, you’ll experience no downtime in communication. We’ll also provide call forwarding solutions and number porting. Your business will remain easy to contact and new number changes won’t result in any confusion or an inability for customers to access your call services through your old number. 

 

How Much Does a Toll-Free Number Cost to Operate?

Businesses, not customers, will instead pay for the fees incurred by a freephone number. 

The costs involved in providing such a service are negligible, especially when you opt for the right service provider and bespoke solution.Toll-free numbers are now very much affordable, even for the smallest of UK companies. 

CityNumbers offers packages for 0800 numbers starting at only £5 per month, with customer calls charged at as little as 3p per minute from a landline. For small companies, this can be enough to provide the service with minimal expense. 

If, however, you operate a larger company and need more call time, cost-effective solutions that scale to your needs can also be acquired. For example, the Enterprise package offered by CityNumbers costs £39 per month, complete with 2,100 free minutes and a lower rate of 2.5p per minute once the initial free minutes’ coverage has been reached. 

 

What Are The Benefits of Toll-Free Numbers?

The average call duration for a sales call in the UK is roughly six minutes. The result is that your business can receive 350 calls a month without incurring any extra cost when opting for the £39 package. 

That’s just 10p per sales call. 

The question you now have to pose is: Is a toll-free number worth the cost? 

 

  • Remain Competitive and Meet Customer Expectations: Most major UK businesses operate toll-free numbers, leading to expectations from customers that their phone calls to your company will be free of charge. This is an element of business strategy many of your competitors will have become aware of as well. If you aren’t providing free phone calls, you may find you fail to meet consumer demands, which can lead to lost business opportunities. 
  • Encourage Calls and Provide Excellent Customer Service: On the subject of lost opportunities, a freephone number has the potential to support better sales and a rise in direct communication from customers. Your consumers are more likely to pick up the phone and call you if they know it will come at no cost to them. Conversely, if they have to pay to call, they may opt to email or just not contact your company instead. Phone calls remain an important tool for increasing business profitability through sales and consumer retention. The more people you can get on the phone, the higher your chance of increasing revenue. 
  • Become a More Trusted and Professional Brand: 0800 toll-free numbers are associated with large-scale and professional businesses. For small businesses, in particular, this can be a great way of building a trustworthy and authoritative perception among customers. The use of private landlines or mobile numbers for contact does not inspire the same level of experience as a professional standard business prefix, such as 0800. This is a simple and low-cost way to boost your brand’s clout. 
  • Reach National Customers: Even national businesses have a regional headquarters. This means you’ll have a local landline. But by having a local number, you can limit your national appeal. An 08000 number removes all perceptions of locality from your company. It enables you to easily offer your nationwide services without ever being identified as a regional business. 

When you consider the value a freephone number can provide your business, it’s not hard to see why spending 10p per call is definitely worth the investment.  

Go toll-free and access a new range of profit-boosting potential today. Transform your business presence when you buy a phone number from CityNumbers.

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How Do International Premium-Rate Numbers Work? | CityNumbers

 

International phone numbers are rising in popularity among UK businesses. 

Acquiring an international phone number means you can offer overseas customers a local number to call, even if you aren’t physically located within that country. As a UK-based company, you could establish a New York phone number that lets clients calling from Manhattan dial a number they recognise as regional. 

But:

  • Why should your business buy an international number? 
  • How do international premium-rate numbers work?
  • How do you go about acquiring one for your company? 

We aim to answer all this and more. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know. 

Why Buy an International Number for Your Business?

Before you invest time and money into an international phone number for your business, you’ll want to know why it’s worth doing in the first place. There are numerous advantages of using a local phone number when trying to build an international presence. These include: 

  • Local Confidence and Trust — Customers are more likely to call and answer local phone numbers. This is especially true of businesses. Even if your services are carried out digitally, or the products on offer are shipped internationally, there is still an element of trust associated with local numbers, which can support better client communication. Because of this reason, obtaining a local number can be a powerful tool for increasing sales. 
  • Improved Brand Perception — Thanks to the wonders of the digital age, it’s easier than ever to grow your brand and offer products or services on the global stage. However, attracting international clients can be difficult. Your potential customers in Los Angeles, for example, may be deterred from using your company if they notice you are based entirely out of a private residence in Surrey. Acquiring a locally targeted phone number makes your brand appear larger, more well-established and more professional; one that is ready to take on international business. 
  • Consumer Testing — Thinking about launching a larger presence overseas? A local number can be a great way to test the waters and discover how much interest there is. Before you make large investments in new offices or service provision, you can use international numbers to track local conversions and find locations where you are more likely to succeed. 

 

 How Do International Premium-Rate Numbers Work — And How Do You Get One?

International premium-rate numbers might sound like a complicated asset to acquire, but in reality, they are no different to a UK virtual number — except for the fact they are based overseas. 

The concept behind them is simple. 

In order to obtain a local business phone number, you need to have a regional presence in terms of a company premises through which a number can be registered. For small businesses — and even larger firms — acquiring international property is not financially viable for the sake of a phone number. 

But you don’t need to buy or rent international property to obtain an international phone number. 

CityNumbers has the resources available to register local numbers on your behalf. We then use call-forwarding technology to transfer any calls made to the number to your current UK business phone or mobile number. 

It’s a simple process to get started. All you have to do is select the country and city you want your international number to be registered in and we’ll take care of the rest. You can then provide customers and clients with your local number, even if you are actually based thousands of miles away.  

 

What Countries Can You Buy International Numbers for Your Business In?

If you want to acquire overseas local numbers to project an increased international presence, it’s very easily done. You can acquire an international virtual number almost anywhere in the world. At CityNumbers, we offer numbers in over 95 countries across more than 4,000 cities. These include popular nations like:

 

What Are the Costs of an International Premium-Rate Number? 

Prices can vary significantly depending on where in the world you’d like to set up your international number. This is due to several factors, from local charges to available networks. 

Your business will be looking at paying the exact same type of fees for an international number, which are:

  • Setup Costs
  • Monthly Line Rental
  • Cost Per Minute from Landline and Mobile
  • International Routing

How these costs impact your company will be entirely down to location. 

For example, if you want to establish local numbers in the United States, the fees are very affordable even for very small businesses:

  • Setup Costs — £10
  • Monthly Line Rental — £7
  • Cost Per Minute from Landline and Mobile — 3p/11p
  • International Routing (per minute) — 4p

However, if you were to instead buy an international number local to Moscow in Russia, you’d be looking at the below fees:

  • Setup Costs — £300
  • Monthly Line Rental — £35
  • Cost Per Minute from Landline and Mobile — 16p/32p
  • International Routing (per minute) — 19p landline/29p mobile

Given the varying costs of an international virtual number, considerations should be made as to why you’ve chosen the country:

  • Do you have specific international markets or sales goals in mind? 
  • Is your product or service geo-targeted to a particular region?
  • Could you achieve the same goals by accessing a different customer base? 

If you are going to see big business from Russia, the high costs of entry are likely worth that initial expense. However, if you are simply looking to expand and reach new markets but don’t have specific nations in mind, you’ll find a number of other great options that can support goals while keeping costs down. 

How do international premium-rate numbers work? They work to boost your sales potential and transform your marketing strategy while being a cost-effective local support structure. Buy a phone number from CityNumbers today and start your international journey!

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Regulations For International Presence

Local and Toll Free international numbers are often subjected to regulation requirements and as previously discussed; experience, having the right contacts and persistence are a necessity to allow a smooth order, and setup process of these numbers. However, it’s also an area that is increasing with extra regulations for international presence.

A lot of the increase in the regulations could potentially be down to an EEA push to have better and eventually full visibility of all individuals or companies that are using international based numbers, for the likely purpose of mitigating security risk and fraud.

For example; over the last 12 months alone there have been several major changes to country phone number regulations that have come into effect which prompt theories on the willingness for more visibility of owners and also fraud prevention:

  • In both China and South Korea it is not permitted to resell numbers for profit unless prior approval is granted from Government officials.
  • France National/Toll Free and Mobile numbers can no longer be sold to companies that wish to resell the service. These can only be provided to end users.
  • France Geo numbers can only be provided to companies that have an address (supported by a business certificate) within the same geographic area as the DDI.
  • Luxembourg DDIs can only be sold to companies that are registered with the ILR (Lux regulatory body) in order to provide full visibility of service. There is a document that needs to be submitted to the ILR, with an accompanying cheque for 2500EUR, to allow this service.
  • Italy introduced a centralised database with details of all end users. When activating DDIs the reseller must provide end user details supported by proof of address and proof of ID documents.
  • Belgium has introduced the same database type as Italy.

The above provides a few examples as to why it is vital that when looking for international numbers that you are obtaining them through a company that has the right experience and contacts in order to be able to deliver your request in a viable time frame and advise you on the right numbers and the right way to get them.

You are more than welcome to speak to us if you are thinking about going internationally with your phone number presence or if you are looking to expand your current selection and you are not sure on the regulations, then we can work through those for you too, making a international number setup easier.

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International Numbers Regulations Don’t Need To Be Difficult

Using International Numbers for your company can open up a multitude of options in terms of sales, marketing, internal operations and more… However, the downside of an International Number; toll free or local; is actually getting one easily and getting the right one, but this is why so many companies come through us for their International Phone Numbers.

International Number Regulations

Regulations can be a minefield for a company who decides to venture into International Numbers by themselves without the correct advice, or are working with a company that doesn’t have the experience. There are constant changes within local country legislations and certain in country regulations before even being able to get a phone number in an International Location.

Take Germany for example… If you are looking to obtain a local phone number within a German town or city you must have proof of address before you can claim a local phone number. This proof of address has to be an ID Card or business registration document. However, addresses on the documents have to be for your company and must be from within the city that you require the number to be in. This in itself is a regulation change as utility bills used to be accepted as part of the proof of address.

Having this vital information beforehand can avoid delays and issues when ordering and setting up local international business numbers, causing weeks’ worth of setbacks making it become a cumbersome task. That is why ordering through an experienced company like ours is crucial.

International Toll Free Numbers Also Have Regulations

The Netherlands for example requires the purchaser of a Toll Free Number to not only prove their company address, but to also provide a call traffic forecast in order to verify even a pre-purchase of the number nowadays. This is likely down to low amounts of toll free numbers being available and possibly to prevent companies from holding stock of unused numbers.

This type of information isn’t readily available, and with local international numbers it can mean a delay of your service being set-up if you aren’t familiar with such requirements and this is also the reason why we run a dedicated team in the field of International Numbers, allowing us to keep on top of the regulations and changes.

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Have a Global Presence in Uncertain Brexit Times

With current news headlines in Britain, it is thought that difficult times are ahead for trading overseas, but this need not be the case.

This is the time for businesses to develop their communication channels and to seek to build opportunities as new markets open up with their International counterparts – colleagues, customers and suppliers alike.

The importance of overseas collaboration between businesses and helping them to establish, and build on relationships needs to be made as straight forward, and cost-effective as possible; this is where we see our International Numbers helping your business.

UK Businesses to Consider Moving Abroad

A recent article on the BBC website informed people that the IoD (Institute of Directors) had surveyed Business leaders and “almost a third of UK companies could move some operations because of Brexit”.

The BBC had also been told by European Trade agencies that “hundreds of UK companies are in the process of setting up operations in the EU”

This indication is likely due to uncertainty around Brexit and how it is going to proceed going forward, but it’s also likely that companies need to continue dealing with our EU neighbours, so the easiest thing to do is setup or move existing company divisions to the EU or at least have a some kind of presence available no matter which way the switch goes.

For example we have seen a big increase in the sale of International Ireland Phone numbers (will have link) and smaller increases in various other major city phone numbers

How Can City Numbers Help?

Promoting your business overseas using our International Phone Numbers will show you have a universal presence rather than having to pay the overheads if you were to physically open and provide staffing resource for offices in multiple countries; the result being no large capital outlay for your business, whilst at the same time providing an effective and reliable way of demonstrating you are open to global trading and developing International relationships

City Numbers can provide you with Worldwide Virtual Numbers and International Toll Free Numbers to suit your requirements

The Benefits Of Using Our Services

Our highly experienced service delivery team are always on hand to answer any questions and are happy to provide guidance, should you require it

We have the ability to allocate numbers to you straight away for more popular destinations as we carry our own stock

The International Numbers we provide look the same as any in-country destination number would, and as they are virtual, you don’t physically have to open an office within that country as your calls can be routed to any onward destination, thus eliminating any locational barriers

We don’t tie you into lengthy contract periods as our International Toll Free Numbers minimum contract length is only 30 days

With the numbers we provide, you can also add extra features (for example IVR, Divert calls on busy, Voicemail, Auto Attendant, Fax to e-mail and Time based routing)

We can give you access to our online portal, allowing you to control your own numbers terminating destinations at your convenience (whether this be to your mobile, an office, or another location). You can also view real-time statistics on your numbers within this portal

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International Mobile Number

Ever enjoyed the luxury of having an incoming phone number anywhere in the world? Well now the option to have a incoming mobile number across the world is available, with International Mobile Number from City Numbers.

For More Information Call Us on 0207 760 7600

As a supplier of all types of inbound phone numbers, we understands that just having a land line number isn’t always a priority, as having international mobile numbers allows you; as customers; to feature in other markets and with other technologies… especially outside of the UK.

Much like our other international number types we have another simple process of an easy setup and payment, utilising the 20+ years of expertise from our staff. While also keeping your portfolio of inbound phone numbers in a central location, under a trusted and experienced company like us.

International Mobile Number Usage

There are a multitude of different reasons and functions for a mobile number, so having the ability to be able to use that outside of the UK, for local usage within a certain country of your choice.

International Mobile Number - City Numbers

Does your company have presence all over the world or in certain countries? Well, SMS is a very common use for these types of numbers already and the ability to be able to have a mobile number to respond back to in the country of your choice will put you ahead of the competition…

You could have workers in locations all over the world and instead of them having a UK mobile number you can issue local, in country mobile numbers that forward to their existing mobile, making it easier for your staff and customer to get hold of your each other using their own recognisable number codes.

It’s all about making it easy for you, your staff and your customers no matter where your business is or where in the world you are marketing.

Get International Mobile Numbers

If you have any questions on International Mobile Numbers then please get in touch with our specialist team and we can set you on the right path.

For More Information Call Us on 0207 760 7600 

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Phone Answering Service For Small Business

A busy small business can often have missed calls when they only have a few staff, especially if you are on site or are normally in an out of an office location. So when you return your call, the person doesn’t answer or they’ve moved on to another firm. This is where City Numbers Phone Answering Service For Small Business can help you.

It is a known fact that customers get frustrated and will look elsewhere when you don’t answer your phone and they continually hit your voicemail – is this a risk you are willing to take? By using City Numbers UK based Phone Answering Service, you can avoid potentially losing out on a business opportunity, and be comfortable in the knowledge that you will never miss a call again.

Prioritise Your Time With Our Phone Answering Service

Aside from helping your business save money and giving your customers a service they should expect to receive, we can also save your precious business time.

Maybe you are a tradesperson who needs to spend a lot of time in their day to day work, rather than have time to pick up a call.

Phone Answering Service For Small Business

You could be an estate agent who has to be out on viewings and is unable to take calls at certain times of the day; a sole trader who is working abroad, or is perhaps on holiday and wants to avoid the possibility of losing a new business lead due to a difference in time zones.

Maybe you have considered streamlining your staffing costs and want to reduce overheads by closing your office at weekends whilst still having the facility to take calls and get the details emailed to you.

Our Phone Answering Service For Small Business allows you to prioritise who to call back, and when, without the risk of losing business to a competitor. In turn the caller knows they have spoken to someone, so they are confident that their call is being dealt with. It’s a win, win situation for both you and your caller.

Speak To Us About Our Phone Answering Service For Small Business

Speak to us to see how we can help your business succeed in getting your calls answered efficiently. We maintain a professional and dedicated approach to all of our customers and their calls, we answer them as your business and there is no automated voice records, it’s pure, original and real life people answering your calls, how you want.

 

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