premium-rate telephone number
English
Etymology
In the original North American Numbering Plan, phone numbers beginning with an area code of 800 were reserved for so called toll-free numbers, where the party receiving the call pays the charges. The telephone companies later developed a corresponding set of numbers beginning with the area code 900, which would permit the owner of the number to receive additional fees from the caller.
Noun
premium-rate telephone number (plural premium-rate telephone numbers)
- A telephone number for which an extra charge is assessed to the caller, part of which is returned to the owner of the number.
Synonyms
- 900 number
See also
- 1-900
- 800 number