1300 and 1800 Nubers

Depending on where you live, you have seen or have dialed phone numbers beginning with the prefix 1-800 or 1-300. These numbers are generally considered to be toll free numbers and have been developed for use by both government and corporate entities. Some toll free numbers have been employed to reduce costs for individuals who cannot afford to place a long distance call and require specific assistance through governement programs. Other toll free numbers are used by corporations to entice customers to purchase goods and services without the added charge of the call.

Most individals do not realize that there is a difference between 1-800 numbers and 1-300 numbers. As implied, these calls toll free to a certain extent depending on how you place or receive the call. However, it is important to observe that there is a significant difference between these two different prefixes and how they operate.


If you own are a business owner located outside of Australia and wish to conduct business there via the telephone, it would be prudent to obtain a 1-300 number that is the same or very similar to your 1-800 number listing.

When you are dialing or receiving calls on a local landline, calls made to 1-300 numbers are generally free for the first 20 minutes. After this initial 20 minute “free” time period, individuals will pay whatever the local call charge would be for the use of their landline. Various rates will apply to mobile phones contigent on the rate determined by their cellular carrier. Also, depeneding on your mobile provider, you may notice that these calls still count against the number of minutes used on prepaid fixed minute accounts.

When you are dailing a 1-800, the call should be placed for free and remain free without a twenty minute time stipulation similar to that of a 1-300 nunmber. Again, this is contigent on whether or not you are placing the call from a landline or fixed line phone. Wireless dialers will continue to see their mniutes deplete and depending on the cellular carrier they may be expected to pay a rate determined by their mobile provider.