Intelligent call routing
The service is supported on a completely separate network, called an Intelligent Network. It's intelligent because unlike the ordinary telephone network (the PSTN), it supports a variety of configurable call routing controls that can be pre-programmed to route the call dependant upon the criteria set. This means that it can give a controlled response to a given condition.
Most activity involving the set up and configuration of these numbers usually involves a consultation to establish the best possible CallPlan. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
In their simplest form, non-geographic numbers enable any business, large or small, to improve its service to customers or staff, particularly where a large number of incoming calls or faxes are directed to one person or group of people. Using a range of non-geographic numbers gives you flexibility in how you choose to market your company. Companies advertising services on a FreeCall or LocalCall number have a simple competitive advantage. The invitation to call free of charge, or at a reduced rate, encourages enquiries from new customers and new business from existing customers.
NationalCall and NationalCall Plus lend themselves to applications where callers are willing to pay for information which is regularly updated, specialised or entertaining.
FreeCall (starting with the prefix 0800 or 0808), LocalCall (0845), NationalCall (0870) and NationalCall Plus (0871) numbers can be dialled by callers from any PSTN phone in the UK, including BT payphones. Callers using other national payphone operators, and callers in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man may not have access to them; or if they do, they may have a different charging structure for the calls, not necessarily using the free or local rates. We can guarantee to connect these numbers only from within the UK - if you want to ensure that callers abroad benefit from reduced-rate call charges, you should use International FreeCall or Universal FreeCall.
0800 is ideal sales response mechanism, removing the financial barrier from the consumer enquiring about a product or service that you may sell :-
- Provides a telephone number that is free to the caller, but for which a charge is
made to you as the receiver of the call.
- Typically used by those businesses who wish to remove the financial barrier of callers
contacting them, or where they want to actively encourage calls.
Research suggests that most consumers when faced with a choice between a company advertising a FreeCallnumber and another with an ordinary number, most will call the company with the FreeCall number in preference. Hence, the use of FreeCall numbers can allow some to attain competitive advantage.
AreaCall numbers look like and can be dialled like standard PSTN numbers - they can be dialled from any PSTN telephone. They can be used to give the impression of a specific local presence to customers.
International FreeCall numbers are local freephone numbers, obtained from the local carrier by Fractal Telecom on your behalf. For example, in the USA, the numbers will be prefixed with 1-800 or 1-888, in France the numbers will be prefixed 08 00. It may be possible to obtain specific numbers.
Universal FreeCall works in exactly the same way as International FreeCall, except that your customer dials the same number from all the countries where you have service.
The format of a Universal FreeCall number is +800 XXXX XXXX, where the plus sign is the international access code of the country your caller is dialling from. The number 800 after the IDD prefix is a non-geographic country code assigned by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to be used exclusively for Universal International Freephone Numbers. The eight digits XXXX XXXX are the subscriber's unique identifying number. These numbers are allocated by the ITU directly to the carriers in participating countries. Universal FreeCall numbers can also be dialled from the UK. It may be possible to obtain a specific Universal FreeCall number for you, eg so that you can embed a UK freephone number within it.
Customer CallPlans
Calls to non-geographic numbers (FreeCall, LocalCall, NationalCall and AreaCall numbers) are routed to the Intelligent Network (IN), where details of your CallPlans are held in a central database. The IN translates the dialled digits and delivers the calls to the relevant PSTN number specified in your CallPlan, which may be your answering centre, a voice messaging system, or a third party. If you have more than one destination, your CallPlan can include a number of advanced features specifying the criteria by which your calls are routed or the sequence in which available destination numbers are selected.
Need further information?
Sometimes it helps to discuss the issue in person - why not contact us to discuss your requirements in more detail. Please click here to arrange an initial meeting or to request a call.