Having an easy way for your customer to reach you is essential for companies of every size, regardless of industry. Almost every organisation in Australia uses a national inbound phone number to receive calls from all over the country.
So many of these organisations have opted for a “Smart Number”. But what is a Smart Number?
In Australia, Smart Numbers are issued by the ACMA and are in the format of 13 XX XX, 1300 XXX XXX and 1800 XXX XXX and are often used as a marketing tool to gain new business or retain existing customers. Smart Numbers can be ported to any Australian Carriage Service Provider, SIPcity.
It’s important to note that with any Australian Smart Number, you do not own this number. Instead, you’re given the enhanced right of use for the number (EROU).
Let’s look at the differences between each type of Smart Number:
13 Smart Number
A 13 number is a Local Rate Number (LRN), and the calls are charged at a set local rate regardless of whether the caller’s origin is. Typically this is a small, non-timed charge to call a 13 smart number.
These numbers have a short six-digit format and are often preferred by larger organisations to offer customers a memorable number or use phonewords and give themselves a more competitive edge, such as a Veterinary service may use “13 DOGS”.
For the holder of the number, the cost of these numbers can be very high, with monthly charges starting at around $800 per month plus call collection costs.
1300 Local Rate Smart Number
Like the 13 number, the 1300 Smart Number is also a Local Rate Number, meaning that the cost of the call is shared between the number holder and the caller. There is also the option to use phonewords where these are available.
1800 Freephone Smart Number
A 1800 Smart Number is similar to a 1300 Smart Number. The difference is the cost of who is paying for the call. 1800 Smart Numbers are 100 per cent free for the caller, meaning that the number holder is paying entirely for the call.
Phonewords are also available for 1800 Smart Numbers. Like the 13 and 1300 numbers, phonewords are often limited and can be priced from $400—$20,000 to secure the number, with additional monthly charges and inbound call termination costs.
How are 13, 1300 and 1800 Smart Numbers charged?
Each Smart Number has its own set of charges. These are:
- The monthly payment for the number rental/use.
- Inbound calling costs (also known as inbound call termination).
Service Providers in Australia have varying plan pricing and calling charges. See more from SIPcity on our Smart Number pricing.
SIPcity Smart Number plans are undoubtedly the most competitive available for Australian businesses.
SIPcity Smart Number Pay-As-You-Go Pricing:
- 1300 – $24.40/month plus 4 cents per minute Inbound Call Collection.
- 1800 – $24.40/month plus 7 cents per minute Inbound Call Collection.
- 1800 Lite – $40 per month – 1 × 1800 number, 500 inbound minutes
- 1800 Grow – $75 per month – 1 × 1800 number, 1000 inbound minutes
- 1800 Pro – $140 per month – 1 × 1800 number, 2000 inbound minutes
All SIPcity Smart Number Plans incur a one-time setup fee of $80. Number porting is $80 per number.
Which Smart Number is best for your business?
1300 Local Rate Numbers account for 64% of all Smart Numbers issued to SIPcity customers.
Ultimately, the type of Smart Number you choose will come down to how much you want to pay, as all Smart Numbers function in the same way, just like any other telephone number. It is a marketing decision on how you want to promote your business and the main inbound phone number.
As Smart Numbers have been around for many years, there are limited phoneword numbers or patterns available for 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers. You may be able to get a good number at a lower cost by speaking with your phone provider or getting in touch with us, and our team can help you with your selection.
13, 1300 and 1800 Smart Numbers for SIPcity Cloud PBX
All Australian Smart Numbers can be used with SIPcity’s calling network and are easily configured using our Cloud PBX.
The most common way of using an inbound Smart Number is with a Welcome Greeting set up using our Auto Attendant feature, and the call is then routed to a Call Queue to be answered by an agent.
A significant benefit of using Smart Numbers with SIPcity’s Cloud PBX is that you can provision your number to the MySIPcity softphone and take this number mobile with you.
Another feature is setting up Time of Day call routing to send callers to different agents or numbers depending upon their Time Zone and Location. See our article explaining the best call routing strategies you can use in your business.
SIPcity has professional voice talent available to record a greeting message tailored for your own business to enhance your professional image further. SIPcity offers you a range of professionals with a fast turnaround between 1-2 business days at very affordable pricing.
Having a national company means your business is growing, and you are competent enough to keep customers satisfied, even if they’re from a different city than yours. With a national inbound Smart Number, you’ll have a professional and confident feel for your operation. It might sound superfluous, but it’s a significant deal.
Get a 1300 or 1800 Smart Number from SIPcity
Unlike other providers, SIPcity can provision a 1300 or 1800 number to your account in minutes. You’ll have access to our Cloud PBX calling features and the mySIPcity softphone app.
- Select a plan that’s right for your business. Plans start from $35 per month. There is no lock-in contract, and you can change this at any time.
- Select your number. You can select a number from our range or choose your Smart Number from the ACMA Numbering System.
- Get set up in our Cloud PBX and download mySIPcity softphone to take your number with you. We’ll help you set up your number with personalised features and settings on your mobile device.
Why choose SIPcity?
SIPcity is one of Australia’s best and most trusted VoIP providers. With more than one decade of experience in the Australian market, we dedicate ourselves to offering high-value business VoIP solutions.
Join the thousands of customers benefiting from using SIPcity’s services.
About the Smart Numbering System
The allocation of Smart Numbers is governed by the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2015. For more information about Smart Numbers, visit the ACMA Smart Number System.
