This post was originally published back in February, but we thought it would be worthwhile to share it with you all again.  People are oftentimes a little confused about how 800 numbers work, or if they are different than 888 or 866 numbers.  While we have a FAQ section on our site you could check out to learn more about 800 numbers, we figured it would be more fun to share some facts about them that you may not know!

Here are a few common facts about 800 numbers:

• A “true” 800 number is simply a toll free number with an “800″ prefix.

• You own your 800 number.

• 800 numbers are portable. If you change service providers, you can take your 800 number with you.

• 800 numbers that spell out a company name, product, etc are called “vanity numbers”.

• 800 numbers have been around for over 35 years.

• 800 numbers are regulated by the FCC.

• 800, 888, 866 & 877 are all toll free numbers. The only difference is the numbers themselves.

• 800 numbers can be used for home numbers as well as business numbers.

• 855, 844, 833, and 822 numbers have been reserved to be used as toll free numbers in the future. (As of October 9th, 855 numbers are now available to the public.)

• AT&T paid over $1.32 million to acquire the vanity number 1-800-YELLOWPAGES (* wiki)

An 800 number is a great way to make your small business sound professional for a low cost. Get an 800 number along with all the great features of the Grasshopper virtual phone system.