Anyone know any tricks to dial US 1800 numbers using Fongo?

[nauru]

When I try to dial us 1800 number I get the message that the number isn't available from my calling area. Anyone know a workaround for this? Thanks.

[Jake]

Try dialling without the initial 1, so just 800

[TheHardy]

When I try to dial us 1800 number I get the message that the number isn't available from my calling area. Anyone know a workaround for this? Thanks.

Several suggestions ...

Owners of 800-ish numbers can set a regional block on their numbers. This is because they pay for the incoming calls. They can set it to only accept incoming calls from US area codes, or from regional area codes .... so if you are trying to call a West Coast number, they can restrict that only people west of the Rockies can dial it from certain area codes.

Before I post ways around this, please feel free to PM me the 800 number you are trying to call, as well as the company name, and I will look into this too and see what I can find for you.

a) try calling from a different area code -- as above, regional call blocking/routing. I cannot call a TORONTO-based 800 number from my Vancouver-based FPL #, but I can from my friends' Newmarket-based one.

b) For US-based numbers specifically, you can use a little trick I found, using Vonage V-access numbers. While their main purpose is to allow Vonage customers to call each other without charge, they also route to 800-ish numbers. This trick works VERY VERY well for calling region-restricted 800 numbers which are only available to US customers.

If you need to find V-access numbers for your area, please don't hesitate to reply with your location, and I will provide them for you!

[Bloodsong]

When I try to dial us 1800 number I get the message that the number isn't available from my calling area. Anyone know a workaround for this? Thanks.

Several suggestions ...

Owners of 800-ish numbers can set a regional block on their numbers. This is because they pay for the incoming calls. They can set it to only accept incoming calls from US area codes, or from regional area codes .... so if you are trying to call a West Coast number, they can restrict that only people west of the Rockies can dial it from certain area codes.

Before I post ways around this, please feel free to PM me the 800 number you are trying to call, as well as the company name, and I will look into this too and see what I can find for you.

a) try calling from a different area code -- as above, regional call blocking/routing. I cannot call a TORONTO-based 800 number from my Vancouver-based FPL #, but I can from my friends' Newmarket-based one.

b) For US-based numbers specifically, you can use a little trick I found, using Vonage V-access numbers. While their main purpose is to allow Vonage customers to call each other without charge, they also route to 800-ish numbers. This trick works VERY VERY well for calling region-restricted 800 numbers which are only available to US customers.

If you need to find V-access numbers for your area, please don't hesitate to reply with your location, and I will provide them for you!

+1

Excellent idea with the V-access numbers Hardy.

Also check with SipBroker to see if the company you are trying to call has a SipBroker account. You can pull a local access number from their website, call it, and then punch in the companies SipBroker extension.

[dibsmft]

You should be able to call 800 numbers once connected to a Sipbroker local number by dialing *1800xxxxxxx or *1877xxxxxxx etc. Just checked and it does work. However, as mentioned some 800 numbers are area restricted. I have used this method to call USA 800 numbers from time to time.

[TheHardy]

+1

Excellent idea with the V-access numbers Hardy.

Also check with SipBroker to see if the company you are trying to call has a SipBroker account. You can pull a local access number from their website, call it, and then punch in the companies SipBroker extension.

I am always looking for ways to be able to call more areas. The V-access one I stumbled upon rather by accident one time, and it was for calling 5-1-1 replacement numbers throughout the states, as I was a long haul trucker and needed to check road conditions. My Canadian cell phone puked on most #'s even when roaming in the states, so I had to find other ways of accessing the info when I was not able to internet the information. To be fair, I think it was some motel desk-clerk in "Western Podunkia" that suggested it to me when I asked about internet access when checking in ... "I do this to call some of the businesses from home that I normally cannot...." ... Thanks nameless deskclerk!

[j8van]

You can register a Localphone.com account, they allow you to deposit as little as $1.
With it you can call all NA 1800 numbers FOR FREE, your $1 would never get reduced.
They provide free open SIP settings, iPhone/Android apps, local access numbers, webcalls etc. and SIPbroker reachable... any features that other VoIP service providers are providing.

[dibsmft]

That is probably going a bit far to make and 800 call than is necessary. If you need to call an 800 number from Fongo all that does not work directly all you should need to do is dial the local SipBroker number (eg. St Johns 709-7576255 or from Toronto 416-9003666 or 647-476-FREE) then the 800xxxxxxx number at the prompt as *1800xxxxxxx . If you like, and are using Linksys ATA devices your can put the number in the speed dial (or similar) as the SIP address *1800xxxxxxx@sipbroker.com and call it that way.