Calling Toll-free services

[ani7ganguly]

Hello, I recently ported my rogers phone number to public mobile. Although rogers account shows the service is no longer continued, I want to call them and make sure that my account has been closed. The issue is the rogers number does not work after I ported number which make sense but how I can call rogers. If I call rogers customer care toll-free number from my public mobile, the wait time is 30 min. Will it be deducted from my Public mobile account minutes? Cana any body help?

[computergeek541]

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@Pawprints1986 wrote:

@mm80 Ohhh ok, I had forgotten all about that feature. I used to use it back when we had a land line, playing around with my friends when we were teenagers. but at that point there was a certain * code to use, after you went onto your other line (call waiitng)... makes me wonder, even though not commonplace, do things like that still work? like *67 was I believe block your outgoing number but just for that call?

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@Pawprints1986 

For.cellular services the code.to block your outgoing call display information on a one-time basis is more commonly #31#.

[Pawprints1986]

@mm80 Ohhh ok, I had forgotten all about that feature. I used to use it back when we had a land line, playing around with my friends when we were teenagers. but at that point there was a certain * code to use, after you went onto your other line (call waiitng)... makes me wonder, even though not commonplace, do things like that still work? like *67 was I believe block your outgoing number but just for that call?

[mm80]

@Pawprints1986 kselmak's suggestion is 3 way-calling.  Many years ago, customers woild pay for callback services. They'd call a number and the callback service would leave the number busy and then call back. They aren't popular any more after unlimited calling became widely available.

[Pawprints1986]

Hmm, very interesting indeed! 

[kselmak]

@Pawprints1986 

That's the best part, it dials the two numbers and disconnects from the conversation. You can just walk into a library start your call and walk out if you are out of data

[Anonymous]

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@Pawprints1986 wrote:

@kselmak just curious, if you do this, once you're onto direct connection with who you're calling (Rogers in this case), do you need to rely on WiFi not dropping or data to complete your call ? Or does it turn it into a straight up phone call?

In case it ever matters I'm just curious

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It needs the internet. However it gets there doesn't matter. If lost then the call would drop.

So cell data, wifi, hotspot->wifi. The automatic wifi failover would be interesting to experiment.

[Pawprints1986]

@kselmak just curious, if you do this, once you're onto direct connection with who you're calling (Rogers in this case), do you need to rely on WiFi not dropping or data to complete your call ? Or does it turn it into a straight up phone call?

In case it ever matters I'm just curious

[dabr]

@RosieR   I'm not the only one to have tested the toll free number to see if they used any outgoing mins/airtime for limited min plans.  Quite a few other users here have also tested and confirmed that toll free numbers don't use outgoing mins on $15 or the discontinued $10 plan with 50 mins in/out available.

[ani7ganguly]

That sounds interesting. I will try to set it up and get back to you if I need help. Thanks a bunch.

[RosieR]

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@ani7ganguly wrote:

Hello, I recently ported my rogers phone number to public mobile. Although rogers account shows the service is no longer continued, I want to call them and make sure that my account has been closed. The issue is the rogers number does not work after I ported number which make sense but how I can call rogers. If I call rogers customer care toll-free number from my public mobile, the wait time is 30 min. Will it be deducted from my Public mobile account minutes? Cana any body help?

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Hi @ani7ganguly my understanding is calling toll free numbers will count as just a regular call without being charged long distance and therefore should use airtime. 

According to FCC https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/what-toll-free-number-and-how-does-it-work 

Toll free numbers are particularly common for customer-service calling. Toll free service has traditionally provided potential customers and others with a free and convenient way to contact businesses. Wireless callers, however, will be charged for the airtime minutes used during a toll free call unless they have an "unlimited calling" plan.

However, there were cases in Public Mobile that say that they were not charged minutes, and @dabr had tested it on this thread 

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Free-Toll-Free-Minutes/m-p/439407/highl...

so go ahead, give it a try and let us know what happens.  

Happy Holidays! 🎄🎄🎄

[Anonymous]

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@mh1983 wrote:

A call to a toll free number would count against your minutes, actually. I guess the 611 routing that's typically used for account services gets "whitelisted" on the account itself, but a 1-800 or 1-888 call would count.

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 @mh1983 : Have you experienced consumption of minutes on the $15 (or $10) plan when calling toll free numbers? ie. Does the counter on your overview increment?

[kselmak · Accepted solution]

@ani7ganguly 

If you have limited minutes here is a little trick i do to turn them into unlimited when i need a long call.

Download fongo and get free allternative number.

Call your cell using fongo, it's incoming and free

In fongo app hit transfer and enter Rogers number.

Fongo will push your cell to Rogers and will disconnect, so only your cell and Rogers is in call now.

It will use only 0.07 megs of your 250megs of data (or WiFi) to establish connection between your cell and Rogers

You can also use it for visual vm, so you don't need to use your minutes to check your vm, get more messages and have copies emailed to you. Let me know if you need help setting if up

Hope it helps

[mh1983]

A call to a toll free number would count against your minutes, actually. I guess the 611 routing that's typically used for account services gets "whitelisted" on the account itself, but a 1-800 or 1-888 call would count.

[popping]

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@ani7ganguly wrote:

Hello, I recently ported my rogers phone number to public mobile. Although rogers account shows the service is no longer continued, I want to call them and make sure that my account has been closed. The issue is the rogers number does not work after I ported number which make sense but how I can call rogers. If I call rogers customer care toll-free number from my public mobile, the wait time is 30 min. Will it be deducted from my Public mobile account minutes? Cana any body help?

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Incoming and outgoing calls from and to a toll free number does not count against your monthly minutes usage if you have a $15 pan and the grandfathered $10 plan.  Don't afraid to being on hold for long time.  The longest I was put on hold with my PM call was 3 hours right after March locked down.  It did not cost me a single minute. Sorry I digress.

[Gunner123]

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@ani7ganguly wrote:

Hello, I recently ported my rogers phone number to public mobile. Although rogers account shows the service is no longer continued, I want to call them and make sure that my account has been closed. The issue is the rogers number does not work after I ported number which make sense but how I can call rogers. If I call rogers customer care toll-free number from my public mobile, the wait time is 30 min. Will it be deducted from my Public mobile account minutes? Cana any body help?

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@ani7ganguly hi officially if you are on the limited minutes plan you will be charged for toll free calls but that being said people aren't being charged for minutes used 

[JoyLuck]

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@ani7ganguly wrote:

Hello, I recently ported my rogers phone number to public mobile. Although rogers account shows the service is no longer continued, I want to call them and make sure that my account has been closed. The issue is the rogers number does not work after I ported number which make sense but how I can call rogers. If I call rogers customer care toll-free number from my public mobile, the wait time is 30 min. Will it be deducted from my Public mobile account minutes? Cana any body help?

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Porting a number will close your account. Those are CRTC rules. You can call Rogers to confirm. Only the $15 plan will use up outgoing minutes. All other current plans are unlimited minutes.

CRTC:

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/mobile/num.htm

• As soon as your current service provider receives the notice of cancellation from your new provider, they will cancel your services immediately. Alternatively, you can ask to have your services cancelled at a later date.

[Anonymous]

 @ani7ganguly : Calling a toll free number will not consume counted minutes. If you have anything more than the $15 plan then don't worry about it.

Edit: Gunner123 is correct about the official policy. But they don't.