FAQs

FAQs2021-08-16T02:58:28+10:00

Introduction to phone words and pattern numbers

What is a phone word?2018-06-27T21:56:36+10:00

A phone word is a telephone number that spells out a word or phrase on a standard telephone keypad.

All 26 letters of the alphabet can be represented using the digits 2 to 9 on a modern telephone keypad. Almost all telephones show the letters corresponding to each digit on the keypad.

For example, 1300-DIAL-ME corresponds to 1300-3425-63.

Find out more about the?benefits of phone words.

What is a pattern number?2018-06-28T00:31:46+10:00

A pattern number is a telephone number which includes a special sequence or pattern of digits to make it more memorable or meaningful. For example, 1300 11 22 33.

A pattern number is different to a phone word because it contains only digits. ?A phone word, on the other hand, can contain letters or digits.

Which is better, a phone word or a pattern number?2018-06-27T22:37:33+10:00

Whether a phone word or a pattern number provides the best solution depends upon a number of factors, including your target market.

Factors may include:

  • Your target market does not speak English.
  • Your target market is the aged.
  • The word or name that describes your brand or product offering is regularly misspelt.
  • All of the phone words that may have been suitable for your business are no longer available.

If you fall into one of these categories but still require a memorable number, we have a?range of 1300 pattern numbers.

I run a small business. Are phone words and pattern numbers for me?2018-06-27T22:41:05+10:00

Yes! 1300-DIAL-ME specialises in providing phone word and pattern number solutions to small and medium sized businesses. Every business, no matter how small, can benefit from having a memorable phone word or pattern number. And now, phone words and pattern numbers from 1300-DIAL-ME are affordable for even the smallest business.

What are 13, 1300 and 1800 telephone numbers?2018-06-27T22:40:05+10:00
  • A 13 number has 6 digits e.g. 13 INFO (13 4636). Callers from a standard fixed line telephone pay a flat charge, usually about 25c. There is a significant annual government charge associated with 13 numbers. We therefore believe that 1300 and 1800 numbers represent superior value for the majority of small to medium sized businesses.
  • A 1300 number has 10 digits e.g. 1300TRAINS (1300 872467) Callers from a standard fixed line telephone pay a flat charge, usually about 25c.
  • A 1800 number has 10 digits e.g. 1800 NEW BED (1800 639 233). The call is usually free to callers from a standard fixed line telephone.
How can phone words and pattern numbers help my business?2018-06-27T22:43:47+10:00

Forgotten telephone numbers mean lost sales opportunities. If your potential customers have to search a directory or the Internet for your telephone number, there’s a good chance that they will find one of your competitors and call them instead. Your advertising budget is being used to generate sales for the competition!

Most people find it much easier to remember words and phrases than to remember numbers. Phone words also work because they are easy to communicate verbally.

For example, 1300-DIAL-ME corresponds to 1300-3425-63. In radio advertising, a listener driving their car is unlikely to remember the telephone number, but is very likely to remember the phone word number. Phone words also work especially well in television, outdoor and print media.

Find out more about the benefits of phone words.

Are many other companies using phone words?2018-06-27T22:42:57+10:00

Yes. Phone words have been popular in the United States for many years. In Australia, phone words are becoming increasingly popular. Almost all telephones in Australia now have letters on their keys. Because of this, most people understand how to dial a phone word number.

Most large businesses and an increasing number of smaller businesses are now enjoying the benefits of phone words or memorable numbers.

The demand from businesses for phone word numbers is increasing rapidly. It is now more important than ever that you secure your memorable phone word now.

Getting started

The phone word that I would like is more than 6 letters. Is that possible?2018-06-27T22:01:21+10:00

Yes. The extra digits, known as overdial, are discarded when the caller dials your number.

This was once an issue, especially on mobile phones, but the major carriers have since upgraded their infrastructure to support it. However overdialled numbers may not work on some services, such as Skype. A very small number of older PABX and VoIP systems may have trouble using overdial, but many can be programmed to support it.

Does my phone word need to be the same as my business name?2018-06-27T22:45:29+10:00

Not at all. You can choose any memorable phone word that you wish. You may even have several phone words for different campaigns or products.

However, you must not promote a phone word which infringes someone else’s trademark, or is misleading or deceptive. If you have any concerns, we advise you to seek legal advice.

Can I use a phone word that is the same as, or similar to the name of one of my competitors?2018-06-27T22:46:03+10:00

You must not promote a phone word which infringes someone else’s trademark, or is misleading or deceptive. If you have any concerns, we advise you to seek legal advice.

Are there any restrictions on which phone words I can use?2018-06-27T22:47:34+10:00

In most cases, you can choose any phone word number that is available.

However, you must not promote any variants of the same number which spell out words or phrases that may be offensive, or which breach someone else’s trademark.

If I change the name of my business, can I keep using my existing phone word?2018-06-27T22:48:11+10:00

Yes, you can. Your phone word does not have to match your business name.

How long does it take to set up my new phone word or pattern number?2018-06-27T22:50:43+10:00

After you have placed your order, we aim to have your new pattern number or phone word up and running as quickly as possible. Many of our pattern numbers are available for connection by the following business day. Some phone words and pattern numbers may take 3-5 working days.

How do I choose a good phone word?2018-06-27T22:52:01+10:00

The key to a successful phone word is making it memorable. Many businesses choose their business name or a close representation of it. In some cases, you may achieve better results by choosing a phone word that is easier to remember than your business name.

Because phone words are phonetic, it is best to choose simple words and avoid exotic or unusually spelled names. For example, if your business name is Jayne’s Flowers, you should avoid 1300 JAYNES because the spelling of “Jayne” is less common than “Jane”, which sounds the same. This may result in misdirected calls.

Choosing a memorable phone word is important. Please contact us for helpful advice relevant to your business.

Is the phone word or pattern number I want available?2018-06-28T00:31:19+10:00

We have a?huge catalogue?of premium phone words and pattern numbers available for you to choose from.

Our database has almost 2,000,000 numbers.

To find one that’s perfect for your business, you can?search our database.

 

Which letters can I use in my phone word?2018-06-27T23:03:03+10:00

All 26 letters of the alphabet can be represented using the digits 2 to 9 on a modern telephone keypad.

For example, 1300-DIAL-ME corresponds to 1300-3425-63.

Almost all telephones show the letters corresponding to each digit on the keypad.

How much does a phone word cost?2018-06-27T23:03:55+10:00

We have a range of packages, depending upon your requirements. We can licence just the phone word, or supply a package that includes your phone word licence and telecommunications. It’s your choice.?Find out more.

Calling a phone word or pattern number

Will my phone word work from all telephones, including mobiles?2018-06-27T22:04:54+10:00

Yes. Callers can dial phone words from almost any modern handset. However, if you prefer, calls from mobiles can be excluded.

Can people call my phone word from VoIP services, such as Skype?2018-06-27T23:28:27+10:00

A phone word is also an ordinary telephone number. Therefore it will work with any service that supports calls to 13, 1300 or 1800 numbers.

However, some services may not support overdial (where the length of the telephone number is greater than 6 digits for 13 numbers, or 10 digits for 1300 and 1800 numbers).

How much does it cost my customers to call my phone word?2018-06-27T23:42:24+10:00
Type Format Typical cost to caller(1) Typical cost to receiver(2)(3) Recommended for
13 13 xx xx About 25 cents First 15 minutes free, then timed rate Large organisations
1300 1300 xxx xxx About 25 cents First 15 minutes free, then timed rate Small to medium businesses, customer service call centres, large volume but low value/profit sales
1800 1800 xxx xxx Free Timed rate for entire call High value/profit sales, information services e.g. finance, motor vehicle, property, building, B2B, government agencies, product recalls
  1. From a standard fixed line service. Calls to 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers from non fixed line services, such as mobile phones, may be charged at a higher rate.
  2. Where the caller is in the same call collection area as the answer point (the number receiving the call). Where the caller and answer point are in different call collection areas, the entire call will be charged at the timed rate.
  3. Calls from mobile phones may be charged to the receiver at a higher rate than calls from a standard fixed line service. You can choose whether or not to receive these calls.
Can people call my phone word from overseas?2021-08-29T22:29:41+10:00

Overseas callers can usually access 13 and 1300 numbers, depending upon the overseas network operator. Your customers can call your number by prefixing it as follows:

overseas access code + country code (61) + your phone word number

Example:

To call 1300-DIAL-ME from the United Kingdom:

overseas access code (00) + country code for Australia (61) + 1300-DIAL-ME

= 00 61 1300 3425 63

It is not usually possible for people abroad to call 1800 numbers through traditional telephone services. Some Voice over IP (VoIP) services, such as Skype, do support calls to 1800 numbers.

As we have no control over the capabilities of overseas networks, we recommend that you promote a standard fixed line telephone number to your overseas customers.

What happens if someone calls my phone word while I am taking another call?2018-06-27T23:53:08+10:00

Your phone word will work the same way as any other number. The number of calls that you can simultaneously receive on your phone word number is limited only by the capacity of the telephone number that you use as your answer point.

Using my phone word or pattern number

Do I need to connect a special telephone line to use my phone word or pattern number?2018-06-28T00:30:57+10:00

To use your phone word or pattern number, you do not need to connect any new telephone lines. Instead, calls to your phone word are automatically directed to your existing telephone service.

The telephone service to which your calls are delivered is called an “answer point”.

What is an “answer point”?2018-06-27T23:55:14+10:00

You don’t need to connect a special telephone line to receive calls to your phone word. Instead, calls to your phone word are automatically directed to your existing telephone service. The telephone number of that existing service is called your “answer point”.

How do I change the destination telephone number (answer point) of my phone word or pattern number?2018-06-28T00:30:24+10:00

We like to provide the fastest possible service. The quickest way to change your call routing (answer point) is via My Account. This saves time because when you log in to My Account, you are identifying yourself, so we don’t have to ask you for written authorisation on your company letterhead. It also enables us to process your request much faster once we receive it.

A change to your answer point may take one or two business days to become active. If you need to regularly change your answer point, we recommend that you select a fixed telephone number as your answer point and use call forwarding from that service instead.

Can calls to my phone word or pattern number be directed to my mobile phone?2018-06-27T23:59:30+10:00

Yes. You can do this by first setting calls to your phone word to be directed to a fixed line service. Then when you go out on the road, you simply redirect calls from the fixed line service to your mobile phone.

Can I restrict calls to my phone word only to calls from certain areas?2018-06-28T00:00:10+10:00

You can licence your phone word for the whole of Australia, or for selected geographic regions, subject to availability.

Once you have your licence, you can choose to receive calls from any combination of the licensed geographic areas, or from all of them.

If you anticipate future growth of your business into additional geographic areas, we suggest that you obtain a licence for those areas when you purchase your initial licence. If you purchase a licence for a smaller area now, there is no guarantee that licences for the other areas will still be available when you need them later.

If I need help setting up my phone word or pattern number, who do I contact?2018-06-28T00:29:55+10:00

If you have chosen one of our complete packages, we will look after this for you.

Alternatively, if you have licensed the number from us, but use another supplier for your telecommunications, please contact them for guidance. If you’re not sure what to do, we’re always pleased to offer some helpful advice.

Can I use any telephone company to provide the telephone service for my phone word or pattern number?2018-06-28T00:02:24+10:00

Yes, you can. You can choose just to licence the phone word or number from us. We also offer a range of very affordable packages that include your phone word and a certain value of monthly calls.

We understand the need for flexibility in business. So you can choose the complete package now and move the telecommunications component to another supplier later if you wish, subject to any agreed contract term.

Licensing

How long can I keep my phone word?2018-06-27T22:06:58+10:00

You can keep your phone word for as long as you want, provided your account is kept up to date. This is important, because a well promoted, memorable phone word number often becomes an extremely valuable business asset.

For your added security, at the end of each term your licence will automatically renew for the same period, unless you have previously notified us that you no longer require the number.

What happens if I sell my business?2018-06-28T00:03:29+10:00

If you sell your business, you can transfer your phone word licence to the new owner, subject to us completing a satisfactory credit check.

Can I transfer my phone word licence to someone else?2018-06-28T00:03:50+10:00

Generally, you can transfer your phone word licence to another party, subject to us completing a satisfactory credit check.

Can I sub-licence my phone word to someone else?2018-06-28T00:05:04+10:00

Yes, provided that you have obtained our written consent. We normally agree to this, but there are a few simple things that you need to do before you can proceed. Please?contact us?for more information.

My business presently only operates in one area, but we may expand later. What licence do I need?2018-06-28T00:05:48+10:00

If you anticipate future growth of your business into additional geographic areas, we suggest that you obtain a licence for those areas when you purchase your initial licence. If you purchase a licence for a smaller area now, there is no guarantee that licences for the other areas will still be available when you need them later.

Can I have more than one phone word?2018-06-28T00:06:14+10:00

Yes, you can have as many phone words as you like. For example, if you use a special number for a specific marketing campaign, you can easily track how many responses you have had to that campaign.

Accounts and billing

How do I view my invoices and payments?2018-06-28T00:28:12+10:00

You can view your invoices and payments in the My Account portal. Here’s how:

  1. Log in to My Account by clicking on the My Account link at the top right of any page on our website.
  2. Enter your username and password where indicated.
  3. My Account will display a list of your account numbers. Click on the account number of the account for which you wish to view invoices and payments. Usually there will be only one account.
  4. Click on the Invoices tab to see a list of all your recent invoices, with the most recent at the top. Alternatively you may click on the Unbilled items tab to see a list of recent payments and charges that will appear on your next invoice.
  5. To view an invoice, click on the invoice number in the leftmost column of the listing.

You can sort the invoice listing by any column by clicking on the column name at the top of the listing.

If you wish to print an invoice, follow the instructions above to display the invoice, then click on the Print link.

How long will my previous invoices be available for me to view in My Account?2018-06-28T00:27:01+10:00
Our current policy is to retain copies of your past invoices for a minimum of 7 years after the end of the financial year to which it relates.
For example, an invoice dated 21 Dec 2018 would be accessible until at least 30 June 2026 (30 June 2019 + 7 years).
How do I view the calls that have been made to my phone word or pattern number?2018-06-28T00:29:34+10:00
You can view your call history in the My Account portal. Here’s how:
  1. Log in to My Account by clicking on the My Account link at the top right of any page on our website.
  2. Enter your username and password where indicated.
  3. My Account will display a list of your account numbers. Click on the account number of the account for which you wish to view calls.?Usually there will be only one account.
  4. Under the?Your services?tab you will see a list of all the services that you have with us.
  5. Locate the relevant call plan service in the list, and click on the?View calls?link.
  6. Enter the date range that you wish to view (the default is for the last 30 days), and click the?View calls?button.
You can sort the call listing by any column by clicking on the column name at the top of the listing.
Can I download a list of my calls in Excel format?2018-06-28T00:27:25+10:00
Yes. To do this:
  1. Log in to?My Account?via the link at the top right of any page on our website.
  2. You will see a list of accounts that you hold with us. ?Click on the account number of the account that you wish to see.
  3. Next you will see a list of your services. ?Click on the?View/export calls?link next to the applicable service.
  4. Enter the date range of the calls that you wish to download.
  5. Click on?Export to Excel.
When I view the list of calls made to my phone word, why can’t I see the caller?s full number?2018-06-28T00:12:15+10:00

If you have a telecommunications service with us, in My Account you can see a list of calls that have been made to your phone word.

The last 4 digits of the caller’s number are not shown. For example, 0212345678 will appear as 021234xxxx. ?This is to ensure that callers with unlisted numbers do not have their number exposed.

The obfuscation of the last 4 digits of the caller’s number is a legal requirement under privacy legislation.? We are therefore prevented by law from providing the full number.
Which credit cards do you accept?2021-08-29T22:52:38+10:00
We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express. There is no credit card surcharge.
In addition, we accept payment by direct debit.
Can I pay my account by direct debit?2021-08-30T22:41:28+10:00
You can now pay your 1300-DIAL-ME account by convenient automatic monthly payment from your bank, building society or credit union account.
To take advantage of direct debit, all you need to do is:
  1. Download the Direct Debit Request Form.
  2. Complete and sign the form.
  3. Post, fax or email the completed and signed form to us.
There is no extra charge for using direct debit.
How do I update my credit card details?2018-06-28T00:19:54+10:00
You can update your credit card details by using the My Account portal. Here’s how:
  1. Log in to My Account by clicking on the My Account link at the top right of any page on our website.
  2. Enter your username and password where indicated.
  3. My Account will display a list of your account numbers. Click on the account number of the account for which you wish to update your payment details.?Usually there will be only one account.
  4. Click on the Payment tab.
  5. Enter your card details.
  6. Click the Submit button.
Our billing system will automatically use your new card details for all future payments. In addition, if you have an overdue balance, the new card details will be used to settle your account.
You can also pay your account by?direct debit.

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