How 1800 Numbers Work in Australia
Complete Guide to 1800 Toll-Free Numbers: Free for Customers, Powerful for Business
Key Benefits of 1800 Numbers
- Completely free for callers from any Australian phone
- Business pays all call costs for premium customer experience
- Same intelligent routing capabilities as 1300 numbers
- Premium brand positioning that shows customer commitment
- Perfect for customer support and high-value sales enquiries
What Are 1800 Numbers and How Do They Work?
An 1800 number is a toll-free business phone number that’s completely free for your customers to call from anywhere in Australia. Unlike 1300 numbers where the caller pays a local call rate, 1800 numbers cost callers absolutely nothing—not a cent from mobile or landline phones. This makes them the premium choice for businesses that want to remove every possible barrier to customer contact.
The 1800 number format is simple and recognisable: 1800 followed by six digits (for example, 1800 123 456). When customers see an 1800 number, they immediately know they can call without worrying about charges. This recognition and trust factor makes 1800 numbers particularly effective for customer service lines, support hotlines, and businesses where customer contact is crucial to operations.
Like 1300 numbers, 1800 numbers are virtual—they’re not tied to any physical phone line or location. Calls route through our cloud-based platform to whatever destination you choose: your mobile, office, team members, or call centre. The technology is identical to 1300 numbers; the only difference is who pays for the call. With 1800 numbers, your business absorbs 100% of the call cost in exchange for providing a premium, friction-free customer experience.
How 1800 Call Routing and Forwarding Works
When a customer dials your 1800 number, the call follows this path: it travels through the telephone network to our routing platform, where intelligent rules determine where it should be directed, and then connects seamlessly to your designated phone. This entire process happens in milliseconds, so callers simply hear normal ringing—they don’t know (or need to know) that sophisticated routing is happening behind the scenes.
You configure routing rules through an easy-to-use online portal. The most straightforward setup is directing all calls to a single destination—your mobile, office phone, or dedicated customer service line. This works perfectly for small businesses or those with centralised operations.
More sophisticated routing options include:
Sequential (Cascading) Routing: Calls try one number first, then automatically roll to the next if unanswered. For example: office phone → your mobile → colleague’s phone → voicemail. This ensures maximum answer rates.
Time-Based Routing: Different destinations for different times. Business hours might route to your office, after-hours to your mobile or an answering service, and weekends to voicemail. Many businesses set unique rules for public holidays too.
Simultaneous Ringing: Make multiple phones ring at once, perfect for teams where the first available person should answer. Great for sales teams or support desks.
Geographic Routing: Direct callers to regional offices based on their area code, ensuring customers reach local representatives who understand regional context.
Skills-Based Routing: Integration with IVR menus allows routing based on caller needs—technical support calls to technical staff, billing questions to accounts, sales enquiries to sales reps.
The Free Call Experience: What Customers See
From a customer’s perspective, calling an 1800 number is delightfully simple: they dial the number and speak to your business without any charge whatsoever. The call is free whether they’re calling from:
- Mobile phones (any network—Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, MVNOs)
- Home or office landlines
- Regional or metro areas
- Prepaid or postpaid services
The call doesn’t count against their mobile plan’s included minutes, and there’s no per-minute charge. It’s genuinely free, which is why 1800 numbers are so effective at encouraging customer contact. When customers need help or have questions, cost is never a consideration.
This psychological benefit shouldn’t be underestimated. Research consistently shows that toll-free numbers significantly increase call volumes compared to standard numbers. Customers are more likely to call, stay on the line longer (not watching the clock), and have a more positive interaction when they know the call costs nothing.
For businesses, this translates to more enquiries, better customer satisfaction, higher conversion rates, and stronger brand perception. The cost of providing free calls is an investment in customer relationships and revenue generation.
Business Cost Structure for 1800 Numbers
While calls are free for customers, your business pays for each incoming call. Understanding this cost structure helps you budget appropriately and maximise return on investment.
The monthly service fee is $10 per month—identical to 1300 numbers. This covers your number rental, access to the management portal, and all standard features like call routing, voicemail, and basic reporting.
Per-minute call charges are where 1800 numbers differ from 1300 numbers. Because you’re providing free calls to customers, your per-minute costs are higher—typically ranging from 20 to 35 cents per minute depending on whether calls originate from mobile or landline phones.
Here’s a practical cost example: If you receive 200 calls per month averaging 4 minutes each (800 total minutes), at an average rate of 25 cents per minute, your call costs would be $200. Add the $10 service fee for a total monthly cost of $210. For many businesses, 200 customer interactions resulting in sales, resolved issues, or strengthened relationships easily justifies this investment.
Cost control strategies include implementing IVR to handle common questions automatically, using time-based routing to manage after-hours calls efficiently, setting maximum call durations for specific call types, and using analytics to identify and address unusually long calls.
Setting Up and Activating Your 1800 Number
Getting an 1800 number operational is quick and straightforward—no technical expertise required, no hardware to install, and no waiting for technicians. The entire process is online and takes about 10 minutes:
Step 1: Select Your 1800 Number
Browse available toll-free numbers and choose one that’s memorable and relevant to your business. Look for patterns that are easy to remember, or search for phonewords that spell meaningful terms related to your industry.
Step 2: Configure Call Routing
Enter the destination phone number where calls should be directed. This can be any Australian phone number—mobile, landline, VoIP, or even international numbers in some cases. You can change this anytime through your online portal.
Step 3: Set Operating Hours
Define your business hours so the system knows when to use different routing rules. You might send calls to your office during the day and to voicemail or an answering service after hours.
Step 4: Customise Additional Features
Add optional features like IVR menus, call recording, voicemail-to-email, or SMS capabilities. You can also configure these later as your needs evolve.
Step 5: Test and Launch
Your number activates instantly. Call it from another phone to verify everything works correctly. Check that routing goes to the right place, voicemail activates properly, and any IVR menus function as expected. Once satisfied, update your website, marketing materials, and customer communications with your new toll-free number.
If you’re porting an existing 1800 number from another provider, the timeline is slightly longer—typically 1-2 business days—but we handle all coordination with your previous provider to ensure a seamless transition.
Troubleshooting: Common 1800 Number Issues and Solutions
While 1800 numbers generally work seamlessly, understanding common issues helps you resolve problems quickly:
Issue: “The 1800 number isn’t connecting”
Solutions: Check that your destination phone is turned on and has coverage. Verify routing settings in your portal haven’t been accidentally changed. Ensure your account is active and up-to-date with payments. Test by calling from different phones to isolate whether it’s a network issue.
Issue: “Callers are getting a busy signal”
Solutions: Your destination line might genuinely be busy. Consider adding sequential routing to backup numbers or implementing call queuing so callers hear hold music instead of a busy tone. Check if you’ve set call limits that are being reached.
Issue: “Can’t call 1800 numbers from mobile”
Solutions: This is rare but can happen with certain prepaid or international roaming services. Verify the caller is using an Australian mobile network. Some very old mobile plans might not support 1800 calls—customers should contact their provider to enable toll-free calling.
Issue: “Calls from overseas don’t work”
Solutions: Australian 1800 numbers only work from within Australia. International callers need to use your standard geographic number or international contact number. This is by design—toll-free numbers are country-specific.
Issue: “Voicemail isn’t activating after hours”
Solutions: Check your business hours settings in the portal. Verify that after-hours routing is set to voicemail rather than still trying to ring phones. Make sure you’ve recorded a voicemail greeting.
Our support team is available to help diagnose and resolve any issues. Most problems are configuration-related and can be fixed in minutes through your online portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About 1800 Numbers
Are 1800 numbers really free to call from mobiles?
Yes, 1800 numbers are genuinely free from all Australian mobile networks—Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, and all MVNOs. The call costs nothing and doesn’t count against your plan’s included minutes. This applies to both prepaid and postpaid mobile services.
Why isn’t my 1800 number working when I call it?
First, check that you’re calling from an Australian phone network. Next, verify your routing settings in your online portal to ensure calls are directed to an active, working phone number. Check that your account is current. If issues persist, contact support—we can test the line and identify the problem quickly.
Can I call Australian 1800 numbers from overseas?
No, Australian 1800 numbers only work when calling from within Australia. They’re domestic toll-free numbers. International callers need to use your standard geographic phone number (with country code +61).
What does it cost the business when someone calls our 1800 number?
You pay a per-minute charge (typically 20-35 cents per minute) plus a $10 monthly service fee. Total costs depend on your call volume and duration. For example, 100 calls at 5 minutes each (500 minutes) at 25c/min would cost $125 plus $10 = $135 per month.
Do 1800 numbers work from all Australian phones?
Yes, 1800 numbers work from landlines and mobiles across all Australian networks. The only exceptions are calls from overseas or from very specific international roaming scenarios where the caller is technically using a foreign network.
Can I get SMS messages on my 1800 number?
Yes, many 1800 numbers support SMS functionality, allowing you to send and receive text messages. This is perfect for appointment reminders, customer service responses, or marketing communications. Check with your provider about SMS capabilities for your specific number.
