900 number
Pay-per-minute call
A 900 number is a telephone number that charges callers a per-minute fee beyond standard rates, with revenue shared between the phone company and the service provider.
Popular in the 1980s and 1990s for psychic hotlines, adult chat lines, and entertainment services: He ran up a huge bill calling 900 numbers.
The format enabled businesses to monetize phone-based content before the internet displaced most such services.
Elevated fee for calls
- hotlineDirect emergency phone connection
- customer serviceAssistance for buyers
- information servicesEntities providing organized knowledge
- helplinePhone service for assistance
chargeable · tariff · toll call · directory assistance · consultation · inquiry · operator · call center
Extended TV sales broadcast
- telemarketingPhone-based sales outreach
- direct responseCommunication prompting immediate action
- call-in showBroadcast taking listener calls
- jingleBrief advertising melody
broadcast · promotion · campaign · late-night TV · pitch · airtime · sponsorship · interactive
premium rate
Elevated fee for calls
- hotlineDirect emergency phone connection
- customer serviceAssistance for buyers
- information servicesEntities providing organized knowledge
helpline · chargeable · tariff · toll call · directory assistance · consultation · inquiry · operator · call center · access code
infomercial
Extended TV sales broadcast
- telemarketingPhone-based sales outreach
- direct responseCommunication prompting immediate action
- call-in showBroadcast taking listener calls
jingle · broadcast · promotion · campaign · late-night TV · pitch · airtime · sponsorship · interactive · televoting
- telecom codesarea code, country code, dialing code, regional code, prefix
900 numbertoll-free number
Phone line without charges
800 number · 1-800 number · collect call · local number · landline