“A
collect call in the USA and Canada or
reverse charge call in the UK and other countries (or calling
collect) is a
telephone call in which the
calling party wants to place a call at the
called party’s expense. In the past, collect calls were only possible as an
operator-assisted call, but with the introduction of
computer-based
telephone dialing equipment, it is now possible to place a collect call without using an
operator, which is called
International Freephone Service (IFS) as opposed to
Home Country Direct (HCD). Several companies offer services to place collect calls that compete with local service providers. When the operator’s number is globally unique, i.e. it does not depend on the caller’s country, it is called
Universal International Freephone Number (UIFN).” Source
Wikipedia
William Tys, CEO of 1800 PHONEHOME has a shorter definition. Tys says “… a reverse charge call is simply a call made at the recipient’s expense.”
People usually make reverse charge calls as a last resort call. The call is usually urgent and necessary. For example, a child may have missed the schoolbus or has been left standing at school because someone forgot the pick him or her up. Sometimes it’s adults who have a flat tyre and a flat battery on their mobile phone. In short the calls are usually made when the caller is in a degree of trouble and they need assistance.
The traditional reverse charge call is from a telephone box to a home landline. Plenty of industry dollars are still generated this way. However, telephone boxes are reducing in number and the mobile phone is taking over. No one goes too far these days without their mobile phone in their pocket or handbag. Hence many reverse charge calls are placed to mobile phones Also the mobile phone is becoming the home phone. Many new developments are not incorporating hardwiring for landlines because of wireless and mobile applications. The mobile phone is now becoming the home phone as well.
From a callers point of view a reverse charge call should be able to be made from any phone (fixed or mobile) to any phone (fixed or mobile). Some reverse charge call operators choose to only provide their service to say mobiles. For a full reverse charge call service surely a capable provider should facilitate reverse charge calls to both fixed and mobile phones.
1800 PHONEHOME provides the full service of calls to fixed and mobile phones combined with a very competitive price. Tys says ”…not only do people want some serious competition in the reverse charge call arena but also the full service of calls terminating on fixed and mobile phones…and that’s why 1800 PHONEHOME is here!”
William Tys
CEO
Dancing and rapping atoo getting excited about phoning home.
Production: Gilles Hurtebize, Francis Lenoir, Gyuri Karnay