Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Chan-Seung Lee]

[nathd]

I guess they want to say that if you dial an 800 number (eg: 800 848 848) you won't have to pay the call. It doesn't work only with the number 800 but with all numbers beginning with 800.

did I answer your question?

[CP]

In the U.S.A., telephone numbers have an area code (3 digits), a prefix (3 digits), and a number (4 digits). Usually, the area code indicates where the phone is located: 213 is Los Angeles (or a part of L.A.); 716 is Buffalo, New York. So a number might be (213) 726-1424.

To call to a phone with the same area code, you just dial the last 7 digits. If I have a (213) number (and use of the parentheses indicates the area code), I can dial 726-1424 without the area code. If my phone number has some other area code, I have to dial 1 (213) 726-1424.

But numbers with area code 800 are not located any particular place, and it does not cost the caller anything to call those numbers. They are called 800 numbers. Businesses use them to encourage people to call from anywhere for free, to get their business. That is what your excerpt is talking about.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb