1-800 or 1-877 Phone calls

crayola · #1 05-08-2008, 02:57 PM

Does anyone know how to make a toll free phone call from here to the US? So far I've been told to dial 1-880 and 1-200 but have not been able to get either to work.

Tamborista · #2 05-08-2008, 03:11 PM

Go to a call center that uses VOIP, and it gets relatively cheap!

curtandsandi · #3 05-08-2008, 03:13 PM

Call from your computer using Skype - it is free for toll free numbers to the US.

Sandi

Campesina · #4 05-08-2008, 03:17 PM

Sometimes if you dial the number, a recording will tell you what exchange will work. But, it is not toll free from here and can be quite expensive.

Ricardo900 · #5 05-08-2008, 03:21 PM

Try this link 1-800 numbers

I believed I tried the 880=800 and it worked but that was a while ago.

rubio_higuey · #6 05-08-2008, 04:53 PM

From my Orange Max phone I just dial direct 1800, 1888, 1866, 1877 etc.
But on Orange Flex or Orange Card I think you have to change 800 into 880, 888 into 881, 877 into 882 and 866 cannot be dialed.

DrChrisHE · #7 05-08-2008, 05:16 PM

Sometimes Orange will give you a message saying that you can't make calls to those #s. It appears arbitrary on my phone (sometimes the same 800 is blocked and the next day I can call it.) When I MUST get through and only the 800 # is avalable, this is what I've done:
Try looking online for an alternative # but many times they aren't available OR you can't get online.
IF you have a bill or statement for the company, check it to see if it has alternative #s (sometimes your bank statement will list them for withdrawals or debts).
IF you still can't find a number, this has worked for me nearly every time...
Look at where the company is located. If you have access (or know) the area code, many companies have the same regular phone number with the local area code in front of it. Even if it isn't the branch you want, you can usually explain and get to where you want/need to be. For example, if you are trying to reach a company in Staten Island NY and the regular area code for that locality is 718, substitute the 1-718 for the 1-800...in front of the number.

I know this sound convoluted but I've had to use it a number of times when finding a plain non-800 number was near impossible and I HAD to reach the place.

Good luck!

BushBaby · #8 05-09-2008, 01:13 AM

As sandi says above, install Skype (free) on your computer, buy & install (if you haven't already got one) a microphone & use 1-800 numbers to USA FREE!! Headphone with microphone attached makes things a little more convenient but standard microphone & computer speakers are more than acceptable in voice recognition!!

International calls are inexpensive (for most countries anyway - 20 mins to UK family members costs me only US $0.70). Computer to computer where BOTH have skype installed are FREE. ~ Grahame

Hillbilly · #9 05-09-2008, 09:08 AM

Or get a friend to send you a SmartJack....Once installed, all calls to the US are free....
I think, I do not KNOW, that the initial costs are $60 + $20 a year. If you have family and friends or business in the states, this is a steal...

Ahhh, the old original Codetel days (60s), when you could dial 1-800 with ease...until they got wise. Also 411 was available...to us... here!!!

HB

DrChrisHE · #10 05-09-2008, 10:43 AM

Maybe I misunderstood the question, but I thought the OP was asking how to get through to the company that has an 800-type phone number. There are many ways to make free/cheap calls to the US but if someone needs that particular company quickly and doesn't care whether they use an 800 #, one way to do it is as I posted above.

With my Orange plan, I get charged the same rate for US calls as I do DR calls. Generally speaking, US telecoms and the companies that pay for the 800 #s don't want to pay for incoming international calls and will block them. What I don't understand is why one day it will work, the next it won't and then the next week it will. THAT makes no sense to me at all unless they are running their lines the same way our wifi provider does...sometimes we are on satellite and other times we are connected via DSL/codatel. When we access the net via Sat, all my info is in English and I have no problem downloading (legal) music. When we are on DSL, all my ads are in Spanish (not a problem) but I can't even download legal things because they know it is going to the DR (or the originating ISP is DR). Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure this IS the reason behind Orange's inconsistent access to 800 #s.