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[darkoshi]

Red Pocket Mobile's Terms and Conditions
..."You cannot use the Service to place calls to 500, 700, 855, 900 or 976 numbers; or to place operator-assisted calls such as third-party-billed, and collect calls."


I haven't been able to determine why 855 calls aren't allowed. From what I've read, they are toll-free like 800, 866, and 877 numbers. So why would that prefix be singled out?

Comments

[marahmarie]

Googled "500, 700, 855, 900 or 976" (no quotes) and got this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premium-rate_telephone_number

[darkoshi]

I got that result too when searching, but that Wikipedia page doesn't actually mention 855 numbers.

When I search on 855, I find pages like this one that says it's the same as the other toll-free numbers:
https://www.globalcallforwarding.com/learn/difference-800-866-877-855-numbers/

Maybe whoever wrote those Red Pocket terms and conditions made a typo, and intended to write some other number.

[marahmarie]

The string of numbers disallowed, including 855, is actually a really common prohibition. Using various searches I see Verizon Mobile Life, StraightTalk and a whole host of lesser-known carriers disallow calling from these numbers.

Didn't notice the wiki didn't include 855 so did a Ctrl + F and ah ha. Search results seem to be...declining in relevance/usefulness, overall.

But yeah, everything I can see on 855 today says it's an arealess toll-free number so not sure why there's a ban on it by so many carriers (maybe it's been implicated in spam/robocalling too many times?).

[darkoshi]

I hadn't found those results about other less-known carriers disallowing them too. Tis strange.

However, the ones that disallow all the toll-free numbers (800, 888, etc) including 855 must be for a different reason... those mention an international long distance plan, and maybe they mean those aren't international numbers so aren't applicable.

[marahmarie]

Yeah, beats me. Would be an interesting topic to look into more someday, perhaps.