No Need to Break the Budget
1300 numbers cost a lot less than most people think. You don’t need to break the budget to gain the fantastic benefits that these numbers bring to a business. You can get a 1300 number for your business from as little as $15 per month including $15 worth of calls.
Free Pool Numbers are free 1300 numbers managed by INMS (Industry Number Management Services) and there is no upfront cost. They are a selection of random numbers and usually have no pattern to them or spell any words.
Smart Numbers are sold by ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority). A smart number is a 1300 number with a numeric pattern or word value, such as 1300 00 1300 or 1300 BIZNAME. Majority of numbers are sold for $250 and there is still a very large range of 1300 numbers to choose from, including many phone names and phone words.
There are also companies that lease numbers and this can be quite expensive. It's not unusual for a 1300 number of the quality that can be purchased through ACMA for $250 to be leased for around $300 per month. Unless there are exceptional reasons as to why you would lease a number, it is always advisable to actually buy one.
The reason to buy the 1300 number is simple; you should always own the marketing investment that has been put into the number and never risk it going to a competitor. And the only way to do that is to own the ROU (rights of use). By leasing a number you never actually own the ROU or the rights to the number, the leasing company does.
Once you have been allocated the 1300 number, it has to be connected to a network and there are costs associated with calls made to the number. These depend on call origin and whether it is routed to a landline or a mobile phone.
Local Calls – calls to 1300 number from an Australian landline in the local area.
National Calls – calls to 1300 number from an Australian landline outside the local area.
Mobile Calls – calls to 1300 number from mobile phone in Australia.
Calls to 1300 Number Routed to a Mobile – all calls to the 1300 number where the 1300 number is routed to an Australian mobile.
Although there are differences between providers, as a general rule, $15 per month is a good starting point for connecting a 1300 number, and that includes call credits.
Considering the fantastic features that come with 1300 numbers including auto attendant, voice2email, and the variety of call handling and routing functions; 1300 numbers cost very little in comparison to the benefits they can deliver to a business.