What is UK toll free phone number? All about English 0808 phone numbers

What is an 0808 phone number?

An 0808 number is a telephone number that is free to call. Callers pay nothing when they call this number within the United Kingdom.

Who pays the costs of a phone call?

The operator of the 0800 number takes care of the costs.

Why do organizations register 0808 numbers?

0808 numbers have a positive image. They come across as customer-friendly. It is an accessible number to call because there are no costs involved for the caller.

It is a national phone number that gives your activities a professional image and shows that you are a reliable organization that invests in its customer contact.

Because 0808 phone numbers do not include a regional area code, these phone numbers appeal to customers all over UK.

For organizations where customer contact and leads are of great importance, it is a logical choice to offer an 0808 number. Think for example of law firms. A single new client can generate thousands of Euros. In such a case, the cost of managing an 0808 number is well worth it.

Characteristics of 0808 phone numbers

If a short or name-based number is chosen (example: 0808-BELFABRIEK), an 0808 number is extra interesting from a marketing point of view.

The idea for 0800 numbers originated in the United States. There, toll-free numbers have been popular for much longer. Think for example of 1-800-FLOWERS.

0808 numbers are issued per individual phone number. They are not part of a larger series. The rate for the caller is fixed: calling a 0808 number is always free (provided he or she is calling from within the UK).

A potential disadvantage of 0808 numbers is that they cannot be called from abroad. There are two reasons for this, namely (1) foreign networks do not carry the range and (2) it is very complicated to pass on costs incurred abroad to the 0808 number holder.

Do international 0808 numbers exist?

An attempt to introduce European 0800 numbers failed. The main stumbling block was a lack of clarity about the responsibility in case of failure. Which provider in which country had to be addressed in case of failure?

Organizations that need a toll-free number that can be called from abroad can opt for multiple 0800 numbers. Namely one 0800 number per country. It is then possible to set up how and where the calls are delivered per individual country. Moreover, this offers the possibility to personalize welcome messages, for example, so that callers from France do not hear Swedish text. And vice versa.

Belfabriek offers 0800 numbers for almost all European countries, the UK and US. With us you can easily manage all your 0800 numbers from 1 central location.

What does it cost for the number holder?

An own 0800 number costs €45 per month. In addition, there are the call charges. The following applies to our 0800 numbers: all advanced functions and tools are included. Think for example of a call queue, an announcement and the possibility to record calls for service and training purposes.

How does it work?

A service number is a virtual number that is forwarded to one or more regular phone numbers. These numbers are also called destination numbers and are provided by you. The numbers can be changed at any time.

Callers to a 0800 service number are connected by the switchboard to the destination number you have set. This can be your home or office phone, but also your cell phone. For the latter, the telephone companies charge extra.

Also when calling from a mobile number to a 0800 service number telephone companies charge extra. Belfabriek therefore offers number owners the possibility to block calls from mobile numbers. If you are bothered by unwanted callers, you can easily block them, so you don't pay unnecessarily for calls that have no value for your organization.

Easy to remember

To make it even easier for your customers to remember your 0800 number, you can choose a nice number such as 0800 - 666 777, or a name number such as 0800-BELFABRIEK. Contact our customer service team, and let us help you, establish your ideal phone number.

Why Belfabriek?

The Belfabriek has been the only telephone company in Europe to focus exclusively on the registration of 0800 numbers since 1999. With our subscription you will find all possible features included and the costs are clear and concise. There are no hidden costs, and therefore no surprises.

Belfabriek sets the right example

As advocates of 0800 telephone numbers, we have chosen for an 0800 telephone number for our own customer service.

Do you still have questions after reading this article? Then please feel free to contact our customer service team free of charge and without obligation. They speak English, German, Spanish and Dutch.

Reserve your number today

Numbers are given out on a first come, first served basis. So don't wait too long and request your own UK 0800 service number today.