Are 1-800 outbound calls counted?

[Oleksiy_Ukrop]

Hi!

I'm new PM user on lowest plan with 100 outbound minutes.

Just wondering if 1-800 outbound calls counted against these 100 minutes?

I called 1-800 number yesterday and noticed my counter didn't go up...

Thanks!

[Oleksiy_Ukrop]

@LurganIeUk 

For my home phone I use Freephoneline that I got for $50 loooong time ago 🙂

I still have $4 in VoIP.ms and can use them to make outbound calls - no need for DID. Plus calls to 1-800 are free. Just have quality sometimes.

Stay safe!

[dabr]

---

@LurganIeUk wrote:

I found this. 

Any call you make on your phone is going to use airtime.  The company paying for the 800 number is not paying for your airtime, just the long distance.  It is the same when you make a local call, it is free from a landline and incurs airtime when you use a mobile phone.

Nowadays, there are many plans that have unlimited airtime.  If this is an issue for you,  you might wish to explore one of these.

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT AN AIR TIME CHARGE IS. 

AND

A toll-free number or freephone number allows others to reach you from within one country (or within North America) without incurring long-distance tolls. As the long-distance charges are paid by the recipient, these DIDs are per-minute and carry a slightly higher cost than local inbound numbers. See Ordering a Toll Free Number and Porting a Toll Free Number for details on obtaining a toll-free number.

---

@LurganIeUk   Airtime is the available mins for limited plans, in this case OP's 100 mins is airtime.

@Oleksiy_Ukrop   Currently, 1-800 or most other toll free numbers don't use your available mins and this has been tested and confirmed a few times by a few users here (including myself) and no mins from the 100 available, or 50 mins from the $10 plan, were used when making toll free calls.  Unfortunately, as mentioned this is unofficial and could possibly change but IMO only, it's unlikely to, but it's always a good idea to check your mins after making these calls.

[LurganIeUk]

---

@Oleksiy_Ukrop wrote:

@LurganIeUk 

Thanks. Re voip.ms... Been there, done that 🙂 The very same route - Zoiper, then native dialer in Android 10... It worked. But I hated delayed text messages through text app. And no MMS (only though their portal). Recently I had issues with synchronization of my texts at all  - no notifications, delayed arrival...

So for @$13 a month (plus loyalty etc) I was ready to get real cell phone line 🙂

---

I agree...I would not use their clumsy texting service. They now charge for them. I guess we are old fashioned hanging on to a land line. So I found the additional and convenient “just in case” option to enhance its use. Also all calls to the land line number are also forwarded to our free inbound PM accounts. But that costs a bit more for the outbound transfer from VoIP.ms but is very convenient. 

[Oleksiy_Ukrop]

---

@will13am wrote:

I have the same set up on my dual SIM phone.  Prior to covid, the extra data was very handy.  I would suggest getting a $5/500 minute add-on.  The cost is cheap enough and worthy of the peace of mind that it provides.  BTW, don't forget to ask for the half price loyalty discount on the tablet data plan after 6 months.  

---

You are lucky - Fido changed rules and now you can't add calling or texting add-ons...

Thanks for loyalty hint! I know about it and will ask for sure!

[Oleksiy_Ukrop]

@LurganIeUk 

Thanks. Re voip.ms... Been there, done that 🙂 The very same route - Zoiper, then native dialer in Android 10... It worked. But I hated delayed text messages through text app. And no MMS (only though their portal). Recently I had issues with synchronization of my texts at all  - no notifications, delayed arrival...

So for @$13 a month (plus loyalty etc) I was ready to get real cell phone line 🙂

[LurganIeUk]

I found this. 

Any call you make on your phone is going to use airtime.  The company paying for the 800 number is not paying for your airtime, just the long distance.  It is the same when you make a local call, it is free from a landline and incurs airtime when you use a mobile phone.

Nowadays, there are many plans that have unlimited airtime.  If this is an issue for you,  you might wish to explore one of these.

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT AN AIR TIME CHARGE IS. 

AND

A toll-free number or freephone number allows others to reach you from within one country (or within North America) without incurring long-distance tolls. As the long-distance charges are paid by the recipient, these DIDs are per-minute and carry a slightly higher cost than local inbound numbers. See Ordering a Toll Free Number and Porting a Toll Free Number for details on obtaining a toll-free number.

[LurganIeUk]

There must be something in place that regulates or pays the “call from carrier” when calling an 800 number. I haven’t dug into it yet. The reason I say this is my VoIP.ms does not charge for 800 calls either. 

Also @Oleksiy_Ukrop I have VoIP.ms for a land line. I understand your concern about apps and getting family and friends confused with all of your phone numbers because of this and that. That is exactly why I would not use a texting or calling app. 

BUT

If you can have an App that gives your PM number as the caller ID, that would be ideal. And I think others have mentioned such an App. Then all is transparent. 

An App called Zoiper allows me to turn my mobile phone into a soft phone which allows me to use my VoIP.ms account using data or wifi and I have it set up 2 ways...one with my home number as caller ID and one with my PM number as caller ID. It works and I have tested it. 

[popping]

@Oleksiy_Ukrop 

I have the discontinued $10 50/50 plan.  I found out that even the incoming call from toll free number does not use my 50 plan minutes.  

[will13am]

---

@Oleksiy_Ukrop wrote:

Thanks!

I have dual SIM phone and use Fido tablet plan (4GB for $10) for data. But I was in spot with bad reception and had to use "real" phone 🙂

I use Hangout - free calls across North America (don't want confuse friends with different phone numbers).

It's a little nice touch from PM to have such bug 🙂 Please don't fix it!

---

I have the same set up on my dual SIM phone.  Prior to covid, the extra data was very handy.  I would suggest getting a $5/500 minute add-on.  The cost is cheap enough and worthy of the peace of mind that it provides.  BTW, don't forget to ask for the half price loyalty discount on the tablet data plan after 6 months.  

[Oleksiy_Ukrop]

Thanks!

I have dual SIM phone and use Fido tablet plan (4GB for $10) for data. But I was in spot with bad reception and had to use "real" phone 🙂

I use Hangout - free calls across North America (don't want confuse friends with different phone numbers).

It's a little nice touch from PM to have such bug 🙂 Please don't fix it!

[gblackma]

@Oleksiy_Ukrop  officially yes, unofficially no. Theres a bug that can be fixed at anytime that allows it to not be charged. To be on the safe side, test each number, call the 1800 number and test to see if that particular one is or isn't. Hang up before 1 minute. 

I'm on the same plan. You can add the TextNow app and use it over WiFi to make/ receive/ send calls and texts within Canada and to and from the US for free. You can also use it as I do to check my voicemail from my own phone without using the minutes from the PM plan. Simply dial your PM phone number - reject the call when it rings (this sends the call to voicemail) - press the * key to allow you to enter your password. - enter it followed by #  - and you are in your voicemail account - Hang up when you are finished. No minutes used.