Smartnumbers and Phoneword Numbers

Smartnumbers are phone numbers that spell words or contain a pattern that makes them easy to remember, for example 1300 ALLTEL (1300 255 835).

These numbers provide benefits to businesses, which include more memorable contact telephone numbers, encouraging calls because of the low call costs, and providing automatic routing of inbound call traffic and built in reporting to help measure the success of marketing campaigns. (Automatic routing allows national businesses to direct calls on a regional basis.)

Smartnumbers for 1300 numbers and 1800 numbers are typically 10 characters long (but can have a total of 14 characters). Smartnumbers for 13 numbers are typically 6 characters in length (but can have a total of 7 characters in length).

If your 1300/1800 smartnumber has more than 10 characters, or your 13 smartnumber has more than 6 characters, we can configure the network to ignore the extra characters:

• 1300 XXXXXXxxxx
• 1800 XXXXXXxxxx
• 13 XXXXx

Translate your word to numbers:

To convert a word to a phone number or to see what phoneword a number spells, use the PhoneSpell Converter.

Whether you really need a phoneword number or smartnumber depends on several things:

• the size of your business
• your future business plans (e.g. expansion)
• how important branding is to you
• how much you are prepared to pay for one
• how much difference you think it will make compared to a good "numeric" 1300 number or 1800 number
• whether it will provide a substantially better return on investment (ROI)

If you can buy a phoneword number directly for minimal cost via the ACMA smartnumbers website (details below), then by all means buy it. That way you'll have full control over it, and your ongoing costs should be the same as a normal 13, 1300 or 1800 number.

The ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) is an Australian Government department that controls all phone numbers in Australia. Virtually every 1300 number, 1800 number and 13 number that spells a phoneword has been earmarked by ACMA. The licensing right to use these numbers is made available through an auction process at the ACMA smartnumbers website (details below).

The minimum bid is $250.

However, if a phoneword company has already purchased the phoneword that you want, you need to consider it VERY CAREFULLY!

Most of the generic and good phonewords/smartnumbers have already been purchased by various phone word companies and investors. If you want one of these numbers, you will have to lease the number and pay (usually much higher) fees to the appropriate phoneword company for the rights to use it.

In many of these lease contracts, your costs increase every year.

Also, the number never belongs to you: it is owned by the phoneword company. You can only lease it or pay for the licence to use it.

If the phoneword number you want is available, BUY IT YOURSELF!

How to Get a Smartnumber

1. Go to the smartnumbers website at www.smartnumbers.com.au
2. Perform a search to see whether the number you want is available
3. If it is available and you want to buy it at auction (minimum bid is $250), you'll need to do the following:
   1. Register (cost is $42).
   2. Apply for your chosen number.
   3. Nominate your number to be added to a future auction.
   4. You will be asked to nominate a carrier from the list (note that this is required only for registration purposes and that you are not locked in to the carrier).
   5. Check the auction lists to make sure your number has been added.
   6. Make sure you are available to monitor your auction on the day.
4. Once you've successfully acquired your smartnumber, you can have it carried by us by downloading and completing the relevant sections on our Account Application.

Go to the smartnumbers website.

Good Luck!

WARNING on Enquiring about a Phoneword Smartnumber

If you:

1. call some phoneword companies to ask if a special phonewords number is available, OR
2. use some Australian 1300 number or 1800 number phonewords websites to see if a particular phoneword or smartnumber is available,

your request is recorded/logged. If the smartnumber is available, they will quickly purchase it themselves and then attempt to lease it to you at higher than normal fees.

Unfortunately, this practice is common.

Your advertised phone number is the lifeline of your business. Consequently if you do business with that provider, your business will be forever at their mercy.

If you have a falling out with that provider, they could even lease your (previous) smartnumber to one of your competitors!

We GUARANTEE that we will help you to get the smartnumbers you want if they are available, and that they will be YOUR phoneword numbers.

Naturally we hope you will then use our services to act as the carrier for your number.