FAQs

What is overdialing

Overdialling occurs when a person dials a phoneword that is longer than the standard length of a 1300, 13 or 1800 phone number. 

Here’s an example: 

Most 1300 numbers have a 10-digit primary number. If you dial 1300 MR PHONEWORDS you are actually dialling a 12-digit number (1300 677 466 396 737). Phonewords allow for this by giving a business an extra 2 to 4 numbers. The extra numbers are effectively “ignored” by the phone carrier who reads only the first 6-10 digits pressed hence bringing the phone number back in line with the standard phone number length.

Here is a quick overview of overdialling allowances on phonewords:

What is the breakdown of costs to my business and my customer?

For the customer:  
The chart below gives a rough overview of the costs to your customer to use a 13, 1300 or 1800 number.  Please note:  these prices are a guide only as exact charges may vary between different telephone providers.   

*The fees for mobiles vary between providers, but a typical fee (at July 2014) is approximately 20 cents per minute.

For the business owner:  

The business owner is responsible for paying for both the lease of the phoneword and a call fee. 

Call fee:

lease fee:

The cost to lease a phoneword will vary according to the number, the geographical area (i.e national or regional service), your service provider and the duration of the lease. 
Costs can range from $100 (regional) to $3,000 (national) per month.